Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tongan rugby league star Eli Katoa says his recovery from brain surgery is going well and he hopes to return to the sport.

The Melbourne Storm second-rower will miss the 2026 NRL season [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/577662/tonga-rugby-league-star-eli-katoa-has-surgery-after-suffering-seizure-activity-during-kiwis-test-match, as he recuperates from the surgery for a brain bleed.

Katoa, 25, collided with a teammate before a Pacific Championships test against the Kiwis at Eden Park on 2 November and then suffered two more headknocks during the match. He was taken to hospital after seizure activity and had surgery overnight.

The former Warrior has posted on [embed: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRob5puEib-/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b4564489-44a8-45ad-9406-1f62e882f94b Instagram] that he is now back at home “and I’m in a good place now”.

“My recovery is going well and hopefully I can keep ticking all of the boxes that I need!

“And to the Storm fans, in God’s timing, ‘I’ll be back soon’.”

Katoa posted a photo of partner Tuitofa Aloua helping him walk down hospital stairs and said: “To my girl, this woman has been amazing, strong and sticking by my side through it all.

“I appreciate you and I love you so much.”

He also thanked fans for their messages and prayers, and the Storm club and the Tongan rugby league community for their support.

Katoa had not had a head injury assessment for the knock he took in the lead-up to the match. He passed an HIA for the first injury in the test and continued playing, but left the field after the second.

After the match, former Kiwis and Warriors star Shaun Johnson was critical that Katoa was even allowed to play.

“I don’t get how it can even get to that point,” he said on his Play on Sport Show podcast. “There’s going to be fallout over this.

“There’s going to be some heads that will roll, because I do not know how Eli Katoa was actually even allowed to take the field.”

Tonga coach Kristian Woolf defended team doctors, saying everything was “done by the book”.

“We’ve got two very experienced doctors there,” he said. “They’ve done their usual HIA.

“He’s passed all that and passed all that well. My job is not to question doctors.

“They were both comfortable with that and comfortable with him coming back onto the field, so I don’t think there’s anything to worry about there in terms of the process.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand skier Alice Robinson has ignited her season with a dominant win in the women’s giant slalom at the World Cup in Colorado.

Robinson was quickest of 56 skiers in the first run on Copper Mountain and was then equal-fastest on the second run to win by nearly a full second overall.

The 23-year-old from Queenstown has enhanced her status as a strong contender at the February Winter Olympics in Italy, where she will seek to add to the silver medal claimed at last year’s world championships.

She climbs to second on the World Cup standings behind today’s runner-up, Austrian Julia Scheib.

Robinson clocked 59.03 seconds in her first run, which was 0.29 seconds faster than Sweden’s Sara Hector and 0.60 seconds quicker than Scheib.

Last away in the second run, Robinson was slow out of the gates but accelerated through the middle stages of the race to ensure she wouldn’t cede her advantage.

“It was definitely a day of two different runs. The first one I felt in control and so smooth, the second felt out of control, like I was recovering the whole time. I was pretty shocked to finish first,” Robinson said.

“I was really not feeling that confident coming into this race, so I’m really proud to have followed my instincts today.”

Her overall time, 1 minute 58.91seconds, was 0.96 seconds better than Scheib, with Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund third.

The third leg of the 10-round World Cup is next weekend in Tremblant, Canada.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Zoe Benson scored the winner as Auckland United clinched a third consecutive National League Championship women’s title with a 1-0 win over cross-city rivals Eastern Suburbs.

It was the fifth clash between the two evenly matched rivals this season, with several Football Fern internationals dotting their respective rosters.

While Eastern Suburbs had the better of the early play, they couldn’t turn pressure into chances and they paid the price when Benson latched on to a long ball from United captain Talisha Green in the 36th minute.

Benson got ahead of her marker and reacted quickly when her shot was parried by goalkeeper Corina Brown, slotting home in the game’s decisive moment.

Eastern Suburbs pushed for an equaliser in the second spell and came closest with 10 minutes to play when defender Yukino Nishizono picked up the ball around 30 metres out and launched a rocket that looked destined for goal but flying just over the crossbar.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The All Blacks Sevens were the only men’s team to make it three wins from three on day one of the world series opening tournament in Dubai, while the Black Ferns Sevens also topped their pool.

Coming off a substandard seventh placing overall in last season’s world series, the New Zealand men have showed early signs of a vast improvement with wins over Great Britain (21-14), Australia (21-17) and Spain (24-7).

The highlight was a last-gasp try-saving tackle from Kele Lasaqa to hold up Australian Ben Dalton over the line in a result which decided the pool, with New Zealand having looked like squandering a 21-0 lead.

“I actually didn’t watch the last bit of that game,” team-mate Rob Rush told the host broadcaster post-game.

“I actually had my head down. I was just saying, ‘I trust the boys, I trust the boys’. I should have said, ‘I trust the TMO, I trust the TMO’.

“It was good that the boys could finish real hearty like that. It was mean.”

New Zealand’s semi-final opponents are Fiji, while France and Australia will contest the other semi.

Meanwhile, the series defending champion Black Ferns Sevens produced wins over the France (24-21) and Fiji (31-12) but they were stunned 21-17 by the United States – the first win by the Americans over New Zealand in 15 matches.

The Black Ferns Sevens lost concentration late in the contest after leading 17-7

The women’s semi-finals will see New Zealand face surprise packets Japan and unbeaten Australia play Fiji.

Australia are chasing a sixth successive title in Dubai.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Black Ferns Sevens have their 2025/26 World Rugby sevens campaign off to a winning start, overcoming France 24-21 in their opening game at Dubai.

Without try scoring superstar Michaela Brake, pregnant with her first child, the NZ women jumped out to an early advantage through tries from Jorja Miller and Risi Pouri-Lane, who were last seen at the Rugby World Cup 15s tournament.

The French closed the margin with a converted try before half-time, but Alena Saili answered for the Ferns after the break.

Alycia Christiaens kept France close, but Miller put the contest beyond doubt with her second try, converted by debutant Braxton Sorenson-McGee.

Teenage newcomer Mariama Tandiang also secured a try double after the final siren, but her team were still short of victory in a cut-throat tournament format contested by just eight teams, with the top two from each pool progressing to semi-finals.

New Zealand face United States later on Saturday NZT, then Fiji early Sunday morning. The Fijians accounted for USA 19-7 in their opening encounter, while Australia were too strong for Japan, 31-7.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks Sevens have defeated Great Britain in their opening game.

The sides were locked at seven-all at half-time, and the match remained tight until the All Blacks sevens scored in the 14th minute to win 21-14.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Phoenix have answered coach Giancarlo Italiano’s call for more intensity in their home matches, with a pulsating 2-1 upset victory over Adelaide United at Sky Stadium.

The result was their first win at home since their round two 2-1 triumph over Brisbane Roar on 26 October and only their second home victory for the calendar year.

Recent Phoenix form was poor, while in-form Adelaide beat defending champions Melbourne Victory 4-1 last weekend.

In the lead-up, Italiano said slow starts by the Phoenix in their home matches were inexcusable.

The message certainly got through this time, with the hosts peppy in their earlier attack and captain Alex Rufer slotting in a goal from a Kazuki Nagasawa corner in the 13th minute.

The Wellington side then held it together, as Adelaide mounted promising raids in the late stages of the first half.

Ramy Najjarine converted a penalty in the 52nd minute, after Bart Vriends’ clumsy challenge on Carlo Armiento.

A big moment came in the 58th minute, when a penalty against Phoenix defender Lukas Kelly-Heald for a challenge on Yaya Dukuly, with was overturned, after the referee reviewed the call on the pitchside monitor, ruling no contact and giving Dukuly a yellow card for simulation.

After tat setback, fresh substitute Ben Garruchio gave Adelaide hope, when he scored with his first touch.

They might have levelled in the 86th minute, when Dukuly’s attempt was thwarted by a brilliant save from Josh Oluwayemi.

The Phoenix win should give them plenty of confidence heading into their NZ derby match against Auckland FC next weekend.

Dan Edwards, who looked sharp in his starting debut for the Phoenix, said the preparation for the match had been great and he was happy to get his chance.

“Everything went well for us today,” he told Sky Sport. “We wanted to surprise them, be really on the front foot and see what we could create early doors, and it paid off.”

Adelaide United captain Craig Goodwin lamented a “sloppy” performance from his side, saying the result was “disappointing”.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The Black Ferns Sevens have their 2025/26 World Rugby sevens campaign off to a winning start, overcoming France 24-21 in their opening game at Dubai.

Without try scoring superstar Michaela Brake, pregnant with her first child, the NZ women jumped out to an early advantage through tries from Jorja Miller and Risi Pouri-Lane, who were last seen at the Rugby World Cup 15s tournament.

The French closed the margin with a converted try before half-time, but Alena Saili answered for the Ferns after the break.

Alycia Christiaens kept France close, but Miller put the contest beyond doubt with her second try, converted by debutant Braxton Sorenson-McGee.

Teenage newcomer Mariama Tandiang also secured a try double after the final siren, but her team were still short of victory in a cut-throat tournament format contested by just eight teams, with the top two from each pool progressing to semi-finals.

New Zealand face United States later on Saturday NZT, then Fiji early Sunday morning. The Fijians accounted for USA 19-7 in their opening encounter.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks Sevens open their account against Great Britain on Saturday, then Australia and Spain on Sunday.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A slow finish has scuppered the Tall Blacks in Hobart, going down 84-79 to Australia after leading for much of their tense World Cup qualifying game.

Chasing a first-ever back-to-back win over the Boomers, New Zealand looked on track after opening up a 48-42 halftime lead and still having their nose in front going into the final stanza.

However, turnovers and missed shots proved costly down the stretch, with the visitors combining for just 12 points while a clutch Davo Hickey three-pointer pushed Australia four points clear with 34 seconds remaining.

The teams meet again in Wellington on Monday.

Coach Judd Flavell lamented his team’s high turnover count.

“That’s probably the key stat right there. You know 15’s not a lot, but they scored 12 points off [turnovers]. In international basketball, that’s too many,” said Flavell, who also said the Tall Blacks needed to improve their three-point shooting, which had a lowly 25 percent success rate.

“They sat out there and shot 12 threes. We would’ve liked to have done that, but it just means you have to be very precise and execute more – and I don’t think we did that tonight.”

Centre Sam Mennenga topped the scoring for New Zealand with 19, to go with a game-high 10 rebounds, helping the visitors win the rebound count 49-36.

Flynn Cameron came off the bench and continued his impressive FIBA Asia Cup form, setting the tone on both ends, compiling eight points, five assists and two steals.

Fellow gaurd Izayah Le’afa said there were reasons to be confident of reversing the result on Monday night.

“There was definitely some positives for us, rebounding gave us a good chance but it was just little hiccups during the game that Aussie punished us for. I think we’ll go back to the drawing board, look at the film and make the little adjustments,” he said.

“For the majority of it – very happy, and I think we can just do a lot better to close out possessions or just entering our possession and being on the same page a little bit more and just tidying up a few things there.

Taylor Britt was in doubt for the rematch after suffering an apparent knee injury.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Ferns superstar Braxton Sorensen McGee will become a dual international at the Dubai Sevens, with a familiar face alongside her.

McGee has lit up the 15-a-side code in her professional debut year, winning a Super Rugby Aupiki title and starring in an unsuccessful World Cup bid with the NZ women.

She will now debut in the Black Ferns Sevens jersey, with another teenage sensation and childhood friend, Danii Mafoe, also playing in her first tournament.

“I was injury cover in LA last season, but this is my proper first season with the team,” Mafoe, 19, said. “I’m still coming to terms with being here and knowing that I get to run out in a black jersey.

“I think I’m still buzzing out at that.”

Mafoe has enjoyed a similar trajectory to Sorensen-McGee in their first year out of high school, where they both made several age grade sides.

“I started my rugby journey the same as Braxton in high school,” she said. “We both started as league players, but converted to rugby union and, from there, went to play for the Auckland Storm in our last year of school.

“We also got picked up for the Blues and I’ve made my way to sevens now.”

Mafoe said the UAE reunion had been special.

“It’s been unreal, having her here, having a little familiar face. She’s been an unreal talent in the team.

“Her skill that she brings to the team, as well as her young energy, it made such an impact on the team, both onfield and off-field.”

As both Olympic and world series champions, Mafoe admitted the Black Ferns Sevens felt the weight of expectation.

“There is definitely that pressure, but I think it’s been a focus that we just look at ourselves and ground ourselves,” she said. “This is the start of the world series and, while those accolades have been made, it’s all starting over again.

“We need to keep going.”

Also a quality 15s player, Mafoe said her future may lie in either game.

“For now, the sevens journey is somewhere where my heart is, but I still have a lot of love for the 15s code.”

Another first for the Ferns this weekend will be the official trial of size 4.5 balls, slightly smaller than the standard, a move criticised by some players.

“We had our first time using the smaller balls,” Mafoe said. “It was definitely different.

“I think that my team-mates take it more as an ego thing. I don’t think really anyone noticed a difference, until it was said.

“I can’t speak on behalf of the team, but I feel like, for me and gripwise, the 4.5 size ball is good.”

After a series win last season, Mafoe said the Black Ferns Sevens won’t complicate the formula.

“Be simple, but be strong in what we do,” she said. “Whether a right or wrong, just being strong in our minds and just committing.”

The Black Ferns Sevens kick off their campaign against France just before 8pm Saturday NZT, while the men meet Great Britain at 9.26pm.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A spectacular long range effort from Kyra Cooney-Cross has helped Australia’s Matildas to a dominant 5-0 win over the Football Ferns in Gosford.

Cooney-Cross, who was incisive and creative all night in central midfield, lobbed New Zealand goalkeeper Anna Leat from near to halfway in an effort reminiscent of her similarly audacious strike against Germany in October last year.

The Arsenal star’s second international goal came in the 71st minute and only moments after Ellie Carpenter had put the Matildas 3-0 up.

Playing their penultimate game before hosting the Asian Cup in March, the Matildas were dangerous from the first whistle on Friday night, pushing high and circulating the ball confidently against a Kiwi outfit still stinging from a 6-0 loss to the US in late October.

Attacking midfielder Amy Sayer opened the scoring in the 13th minute, side-footing from the left hand side of the penalty area after a deft pass from the excellent Katrina Gorry.

Eleven minutes later, Hayley Raso, playing in a fluid forward three alongside Sayer and Caitlin Foord, doubled Australia’s lead with an opportunistic curler from outside the box.

New Zealand’s Maya Hahn, who was industrious in central midfield but culpable for a number of errors on the edge of her own penalty area, gave the ball to Raso, whose left-footed effort snuck in off the foot of the post with Leat well off her line.

The Football Ferns were better to begin the second half, forcing Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold into action and muddying the contest in midfield.

However, New Zealand’s good work was all undone by the Carpenter/Cooney-Cross sucker punch and the result made even more emphatic when Gorry poked home from close range after a deft give and go with substitute Holly McNamara.

Captain Steph Catley had a late penalty saved after the lively McNamara was brought down by a desperate Leat in stoppage time.

Sam Kerr, still easing back to full fitness after a 20-month injury lay-off, was an unused substitute and made to wait further for her first appearance on Australian soil since 2023.

The sides conclude their two match friendly series in Adelaide on Tuesday, in what will be Australia’s final hit-out before the Asian Cup in March.

See how it all unfolded in our liveblog:

– ABC

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