Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Black Ferns Sevens have taken the outright lead in the World Series after winning the Singapore tournament.

The All Blacks Sevens finished third in Singapore.

The Ferns were dominant in the tournament beating rivals Australia 36-7 in the final after scoring a 44-7 win over the USA in the semi-finals.

New Zealand and Australia had met in the previous two finals this season with New Zealand winning in Dubai and Australia winning in Cape Town.

Jazmin Felix-Hotham and Jorja Miller scored two tries each in the final with Mahina Paul and Katelyn Vahaakolo getting the other two.

Miller was named the player of the final.

“I’m so stoked and proud of the girls. It’s been an awesome atmosphere in a beautiful city,” Miller said

Captain Risi Pouri-Lane was proud of all her players.

“Every single one of the girls stepped up this weekend. I’m so proud of them and really stoked for the team. Defence is best part of the game but we’ve got another tournament in Perth next weekend. Things can change quickly, but we want to do it all over again.”

New Zealand lead the championships with 58 points, while Australia have 56.

In the men’s competition New Zealand was beaten 21-14 by Fiji in the semi-finals with Fiji going on to beat France 21-12 in the final.

The All Blacks Sevens beat South Africa 14-12 in the play-off for third.

Fiji top the men’s championship standings with 52 points, New Zealand is second with 48.

The next round is in Perth this week.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

England whiteball captain Harry Brook has admitted he lied about being on his own, when he was hit by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington on their New Zealand tour in November.

Brook, 26, told media last week he was alone, when he went to a nightclub on the night of 1 November, the eve of their one-day match against New Zealand in the capital.

He has now acknowledged other team-mates were present at the nightclub.

The Daily Telegraph had reported Brook, Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue were at the nightclub.

“I accept responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge others were present that evening,” Brook said.

“I regret my previous comments and my intention was to protect my teammates from being drawn into a situation that arose as a result of my own decisions.

“I have apologised and will continue to reflect on the matter. This has been a challenging period in my career, but one from which I am learning.

“I recognise I have more to learn regarding the off-field responsibilities that come with leadership and captaincy. I remain committed to developing in this area, and to improving both personally and professionally.”

The New Zealand tour was Brook’s first as captain of England’s whiteball side. They lost the match in Wellington.

Brook was fined £30,000 (NZ$70,000) and given a final warning, after he reported the incident to team management, but that only came to light publicly about two months later, after the Ashes series, which Australia won 4-1.

In an interview with BBC Sport last week, Brook said some players had gone with him to get some food in Wellington.

“I took it upon myself to go out for a few more and I was on my own there. I shouldn’t have been there.

“I was trying to get into a club and the bouncer just clocked me, unfortunately. I wouldn’t say I was absolutely leathered – I’d had one too many drinks.”

The Daily Telegraph reported the cricket regulator was preparing a report, after receiving paperwork on Brook, Bethell and Tongue from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last week. It said Bethell and Tongue had also already been fined by the ECB.

The regulator was able to fine or suspend players for disciplinary offences.

When he apologised to the England team and fans last week, Brook rejected suggestions the side had a drinking culture.

There had been criticism on the Ashes tour, when a video surfaced of opener Ben Duckett apparently drunk during the team’s mid-tour break in Noosa.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Mitch Evans has negotiated wet weather with aplomb to win the Formula E round in Miami, while fellow-Kiwi driver Nick Cassidy has retained the series lead.

Evans kept his Jaguar in front of Porsche’s Nico Müller and Pascal Wehrlein and 17 other rivals in the 41-lap race.

Without a point in the first two rounds, Evans produced an exceptional drive from ninth on the grid, taking advantage of a number of problems besetting cars in front of him.

A clever passing move on the 27th lap took Evans past German Müller in the key moment of the race, with the New Zealander eventually winning by 3.1 seconds.

It was his 15th career win in the class.

Despite a non-score in 16th, Mexico City winner Cassidy still leads the drivers standings for Citroen, two points ahead of Wehrlein’s 38.

The next round is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in late February.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

In-form New Zealand cyclist Ally Wollaston has powered to victory at the Great Ocean Race in Victoria, defending her title in emphatic style.

Wollaston became the first person – man or woman – to go back-to-back at the World Tour near Melbourne, timing her sprint to perfection for her FDJ-United Suez team.

It follows on from her brilliant display at last month’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide, where she won the first two sprint stages to lead overall going into the final stage, before finishing down the field.

The 25-year-old struggled on some of the race’s climbs on Saturday but managed to chase back to the pack.

She said her teammates played a key part in setting her up for the sprint.

“Amazing. So I owe it to my teammates today, if they weren’t there, there’s no way I would have gone back,” Wollaston said.

“After Tour Down Under, I struggled a little bit with sickness… so, yeah, I wasn’t hugely confident going into today. I had no idea whether that day would be today or not.

“And the first lap, I said to the girls, ‘I’m really struggling.’ So they just kept me grounded, and I had a few tough words in my race radio saying that I could do it. The belief was pretty strong from the team today.”

Wollaston’s winning time was just under four hours, seeing off British runner-up Josie Nelson and Spaniard Mireia Benito in the dash to the line.

“It’s amazing. It’s a real dream start to the season,” said Wollaston.

“And I think every year, you want to do better than the last, and I’ve already started this year better than last year. So, yeah, it’s a really dream start, and I’m so looking forward to carrying this momentum into the rest of the season.”

– 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 Alexander Volkanovski takes on Diego Lopes for the UFC featherweight chamionship at UFC 325 in Sydney.

The card features two fighters from New Zealand, co-main Dan ‘the Hangman’ Hooker and Lawrence Lui in the early pre-lims.

Aaron Tau, who was scheduled to take on Mongolian Namsrai Baybayar, will not get the chance to fight for a UFC contract after weighing in above the flyweight limit.

Early pre-lims start around 11am NZT.

UFC 325 Main Card

• Alexander Volkanovski (c) v Diego Lopes for the UFC featherweight championship
• Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint Denis at Lightweight
• Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy at Lightweight
• Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira at Heavyweight
• Quillan Salkilld vs. Jamie Mullarkey at Lightweight

Prelims

• Junior Tafa vs. Billy Elekana at Light Heavyweight
• Cam Rowston vs. Cody Brundage at Middleweight
• Jacob Malkoun vs. Torrez Finney at Middleweight
• Jonathan Micallef vs. Oban Elliott at Welterweight

Early prelims

• Kaan Ofli vs. Yizha at Featherweight
• Kim Sang-wook vs. Dom Mar Fan at Lightweight
• Keiichiro Nakamura vs. Sebastian Szalay at Featherweight
• Lawrence Lui (NZ) vs. Sulangrangbo at Bantamweight

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Northern Districts have consigned Canterbury to a sixth successive runners-up finish in the T20 Super Smash after winning the men’s final by five wickets at Hagley Oval.

Two decades after lifting the trophy in the inaugural season the Cantabrians’ drought continued after being outplayed by the visitors, who were top qualifiers for the decider after dropping only one game all season.

They ended up coasting to victory with more than two overs to spare, reaching 173-5 in response to the home side’s 171-5.

Northern took control after winning the toss, reducing Canterbury to 57/5 in the ninth over, including the removal of Black Caps pair Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls.

The hosts fought back through an unbeaten stand of 114 from 69 balls between Mitchell Hay (56 not out) and Leo Carter (54 not out).

Brett Hampton took 3-37 and sealed man-of-the-match honours by top-scoring in Northern’s response, smashing 55 off just 26 balls at the top of the order, plundering five sixes.

Joe Carter posted 47, helping keep his side well ahead of the required run rate.

Seamer Michael Rae took 3-37 for Canterbury.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Injuries have marred Auckland FC’s 2-1 loss to Perth Glory – result that sees the visitors drop from first to third in the A-League standings.

Jesse Randall put Auckland in front just before halftime, rounding out a week in which it was announced the young forward will join Scottish club Dundee United at the end of the season.

However, Steve Corica’s team failed to hold on, conceding goals to Jaiden Kucharski in the 75th and 90th minutes to leave them with just one win from their last six matches.

Of concern to Corica will be injuries that forced goalkeeper Oli Sail and defender Nando Pijnaker from the field.

Sail, who replaced Michael Woud in the starting lineout, was stretchered from the field with an apparent knee problem midway through the second half, having slipped while taking a goal kick.

Pijnaker was forced off in the first spell with an unspecified leg injury.

Newcastle Jets have claimed top spot on the table, followed by Sydney FC.

Auckland FC’s next two matches are against Sydney – the first at home on Saturday next week.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Northern Districts have lived up to their top seeding with a five-wicket win over the Canterbury Magicians to claim the Super Smash men’s domestic T20 crown at Hagley Oval.

Chasing 172 runs for victory, the regular-season leaders showed their class, reaching their target with more than two overs to spare – their third title in the past five years.

Canterbury were in early trouble, losing the toss and put into bat. Opener Chad Bowes fell to the third ball of the innings from Zak Gibson and the Magicians were staggering at 57/5 in the ninth over.

Black Caps test captain Tom Latham was the only member of the top order to gather any momentum, accumulating 34 off 23 balls, but when he and captain Cole McConchie fell within six balls, Northern seemed well in control.

Wicketkeeper Mitch Hay and Leo Carter both scored half-centuries to rescue their team somewhat, putting on a century stand that dragged them to 171/5 after their allotted overs.

Hay was unbeaten on 56 off 34 balls, including three sixes, while Carter had 54 off 36, with seven fours, but the total seemed a few runs short of par.

Brett Hampton was the best of the bowlers with 3/37 off his four overs, while spinner Tim Pringle was the most economic with 1/20 off his four.

Northern began the chase strongly, with openers Katene Clarke and Hampton compiling 89 off 49 balls for the first wicket.

Both were dismissed by Michael Rae in the ninth over and the Magicians took 4/23 to halt the charge. Hampton hammered 55 off 23 balls, including five sixes, and was ultimately named Player of the Match.

They were still well ahead of the required run rate, which became less than a run a ball, when Joe Carter sent Rae towards the perimeter fence in the 17th over.

Rae had the last laugh though, as Carter (47 off 28) ballooned the next ball to Bowes, leaving his lower order to find 15 runs for victory.

He need not have worried, as Scott Kuggeleijn audaciously lapped Fraser Sheat over the keeper for four in the next over to complete the win with 13 balls to spare.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Blaze have beaten Auckland Hearts to claim the Super Smash women’s crown in a nailbiting final in Christchurch.

The Blaze won their seventh title in the past nine years and closed off their second threepeat in that time.

Chasing 147 to win, they reached their target with a ball to spare, thanks to captain Jess Kerr, who hit 17 runs, including two sixes and a boundary, in the final over at Hagley Oval.

Kerr was unbeaten on 46, the hero of the five-wicket victory, as she orchestrated the late surge, after the innings faltered in the middle stages.

Opener Rebecca Burns hit an imperious 55 from 41 balls and put on 66 for the first wicket with Georgia Plimmer (28 from 27), before things went awry for a while.

The Hearts batted first and scored 146/5, with their top order all getting starts. Izzy Gaze and Brook Halliday both scored 31, and captain Maddy Green 29, while Xara Jetly took 2/27 for the Blaze.

Burns and Plimmer got the Blaze off to a great start in their chase, but things slowed after their departures, with Jetly and Hannah Francis dismissed cheaply, and Kerr, batting at No 3, having trouble finding strike.

She and Jess McFadyen (11) combined to give them a chance in the latter stages, and were still together when they needed 16 off the final over from Halliday.

On their scoring rate up, it looked a few runs too many, but Kerr hit a six off the second ball, before McFadyen was run out trying for a second run off the third ball.

Kerr smacked another six and then hit a cover drive to the boundary to give the Blaze the win, as her teammates stormed the field.

Molly Penfold was the best of the Heart bowlers, with 2/14 off her four overs.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

England whiteball captain Harry Brook has admitted he lied about being on his own, when he was hit by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington on their New Zealand tour in November.

Brook, 26, told media last week he was alone, when he went to a nightclub on the night of 1 November, the eve of their one-day match against New Zealand in the capital.

He has now acknowledged other team-mates were present at the nightclub.

The Daily Telegraph had reported Brook, Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue were at the nightclub.

“I accept responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge others were present that evening,” Brook said.

“I regret my previous comments and my intention was to protect my teammates from being drawn into a situation that arose as a result of my own decisions.

“I have apologised and will continue to reflect on the matter. This has been a challenging period in my career, but one from which I am learning.

“I recognise I have more to learn regarding the off-field responsibilities that come with leadership and captaincy. I remain committed to developing in this area, and to improving both personally and professionally.”

The New Zealand tour was Brook’s first as captain of England’s whiteball side. They lost the match in Wellington.

Brook was fined £30,000 (NZ$70,000) and given a final warning, after he reported the incident to team management, but that only came to light publicly about two months later, after the Ashes series, which Australia won 4-1.

In an interview with BBC Sport last week, Brook said some players had gone with him to get some food in Wellington.

“I took it upon myself to go out for a few more and I was on my own there. I shouldn’t have been there.

“I was trying to get into a club and the bouncer just clocked me, unfortunately. I wouldn’t say I was absolutely leathered – I’d had one too many drinks.”

The Daily Telegraph reported the cricket regulator was preparing a report, after receiving paperwork on Brook, Bethell and Tongue from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last week. It said Bethell and Tongue had also already been fined by the ECB.

The regulator was able to fine or suspend players for disciplinary offences.

When he apologised to the England team and fans last week, Brook rejected suggestions the side had a drinking culture.

There had been criticism on the Ashes tour, when a video surfaced of opener Ben Duckett apparently drunk during the team’s mid-tour break in Noosa.

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