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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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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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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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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Kiwi caddy Steve Williams holds the umbrella for Tiger Woods during the 2002 NZ Golf Open at Paraparaumu Beach.PHOTOSPORT
The famed Paraparaumu Beach golf course will feature on the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule for the first time in 24 years.
Located just north of Wellington, Paraparaumu Beach last hosted the tour in 2002, when Australian Craig Parry won the NZ Open, beating a field that included world No.1 Tiger Woods, and was previously the NZ PGA Championship venue in 1959.
The host of 12 New Zealand Open tournaments is considered by many to be the spiritual home of New Zealand golf, with a layout ranked in the world’s top 100. It will again host the NZ PGA Championship from 19-22 February.
The schedule after the New Year features four legs of the Webex Players Series, and the third of the season’s ‘Majors’ – the New Zealand Open at Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort from 26 February-1 March.
The new year will begin with the second staging of Webex Players Series Perth, hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee at Royal Fremantle Golf Club from 8-11 January.
Australian Craig Parry won the 2022 NZ Open at Paraparaumu Beach.www.photosport.co.nz
It will be followed by back-to-back events in Victoria – the Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links (15-18 January) and Webex Players Series Victoria (22-25 January).
Cobram-Barooga Golf Club will again host Webex Players Series Murray River (29 January-1 February), while Castle Hill Country Club has extended its agreement to be the host venue for Webex Players Series Sydney (5-8 February) until 2028.
After the NZ swing, the Tour will conclude with the Heritage Classic at The Heritage Golf & Country Club (12-15 March) and the season finale, The National Tournament at The National Golf Club (26-29 March).
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Scott Robertson has said that the All Blacks have had a “strong review” this week after their 33-19 loss to England on Sunday morning. Their attention now turns to Wales in Cardiff, with Robertson making 13 changes to his starting lineup for the last test of the year.
“We’re playing for the black jersey, it’s all legacy and it’s really important to us. We talk a lot around serving our people off the field and serving the jersey on,” he said.
Captain Scott Robertson and Simon Parker are the only two players to retain their spots from last weekend, with this test always seen as a way to use the rest of the 33-man squad taken away on tour.
“That’s the balance of it, isn’t it? 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,” said Robertson.
“It’s great to play the whole squad and everyone have a crack at it. So is a good sprinkle, sprinkle of experience and some great youth and young players coming through.”
Robertson said that Rieko Ioane had done “everything he can” to get selected to start at centre. It’s been a frustrating test season for the 28-year-old, who looked to have secured the role last year, only to end up being moved down the depth chart after July’s series against France.
Scott Robertson and Rieko Ioane.Daniel Carson/Photosport NZ
“You constantly check in on your players and you have little conversations just to make sure that you’re consistently giving them feedback,” said Robertson.
“There’s a technical side, but there’s also the human side to just make sure that stay ready. They’re going to get a crack, and this is his one…we’re excited for him, he’s been a really good pro off the field.”
For all the changes, this doesn’t exactly feel like much of a development for the future. Anton Lienert-Brown and Ioane have played over 170 tests between them and while they’ve only started a couple of test together in the midfield, it’s unlikely that they’re some sort of long term plan.
In fact, the only player who can be seen as even approaching an unknown quantity is Christian Lio-Willie, and even then, he’s played three tests already and is in as injury cover. Even for the players that haven’t had a run yet on tour, only George Bell hasn’t already started a test, with the biggest talking point of Ruben Love at fullback already having been seen this year.
This is instead very much looking like a culmination of a long season with a high attrition rate more than anything else – which is actually pretty understandable. Almost a dozen players are currently injured or unavailable, including some names that could have made a real difference on this tour like Tupou Vaa’i and Jordie Barrett.
However, naming a team that still has 719 caps worth of experience also means that the expectation will now be firmly on them to win well, rather than just stagger to the finish line and rest up over the summer.
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
Phoenix Alyssa Whinham sits injured on the field.Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT
The Wellington Phoenix will be without Tessel Middag and Alyssa Whinham for the remainder of the women’s A-League as both midfielders have suffered season-ending knee injuries.
Middag ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft in her left knee in the opening minutes of her A-League debut against Canberra United at Sky Stadium earlier this month.
It’s the same ACL she had repaired in 2017 and then again in 2018, which saw her miss out on representing the Netherlands at the European Women’s Championship in her home country and FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Scans have since revealed the ACL graft rupture.
Scans have also confirmed Whinham ruptured the ACL in her right knee in the second half of the Phoenix’s round three match against the Newcastle Jets at Porirua Park on Sunday.
Whinham has been an integral member of the Phoenix women’s team since it was established in 2021 and is the side’s second most-capped player.
“They’re big losses because both of them could feature in any A-League team,” said head coach Bev Priestman.
“Alyssa was reaching new heights early in her fifth season with the Phoenix, but I’m sure she’ll be back fitter, faster and stronger.”
The club said it had undertaken a thorough review with director of football Shaun Gill finding the Phoenix women’s ACL injury prevention practices are comprehensive and aligned with industry standards.
“We emphasise strength training, neuromuscular control, movement quality and injury risk screening,” Gill said.
“Female athletes are currently four to eight times more likely to rupture their ACL than males. We will continue to do everything we can to try and defy those odds.”
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