Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has won silver at the X-Games in the Slopestyle in her final hit out before the Winter Olympics.

The reigning Olympic Slopestyle champion scored a mark of 93.00 to finish behind British star Mia Brookes, while Japan’s Cocomo Murase was third.

Nine of the world’s top snowboarders were wrapping up their final preparations for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina at the competition in Aspen.

Sadowski-Synnott landed a complicated switch backside 1260 on her third and final run, and later said she was tested by the field.

“The girls all have their own style and creativity and they pushed me really hard,” Sadowski-Synnott said

And reigning World Champion Luca Harrington won silver for New Zealand in the men’s Freeski Big Air competition with a score of 97.00.

Harrington couldn’t quite shake Italian rival Miro Tabanelli who claimed gold.

X-Games women’s Slopestyle

1 96.33 – Mia Brookes, GBR, 2 93.00 – Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, NZL, 3 89.66 – Cocomo Murase, JPN.

X-Games men’s Freeski Big Air Slopestyle

1 98.00 Miro Tabanelli, ITA, 2 97.00 Luca Harrington, NZL, 3 96.33 Matey Svancer, AUT

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

Breakers forward Sam Mennenga has been sidelined with a broken left wrist in the latest injury blow for the Auckland club.

Mennenga hit the floor at Spark Arena in the fourth quarter of a dramatic two-point loss to the Adelaide 36ers on Friday night.

A team spokesperson said the 24-year-old will undergo further scans after the heavy fall.

Mennenga finished the game with 20 points, 12 rebounds and two assists. His absence will likely hurt the Breakers’ chances of reaching the playoffs.

A post-game X-ray confirmed the fracture, and he’s booked for an MRI scan early next week to assess the damage.

“Unfortunately, he will be out for 6-8 weeks to allow the bone time to heal,” Breakers head of operations Dillon Boucher said.

The Breakers led in the final seconds before Adelaide’s Bryce Cotton, playing his first season for the Sixers, hit a 3-point buzzer-beater in overtime for the 112-110 win.

And in a double blow, Auckland forward Max Darling also faces scans for a knee injury.

The club said it will evaluate its roster over the coming days.

– RNZ

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Wellington Phoenix’s unbeaten start to 2026 has come to an end.

The Phoenix have been beaten 4-1 at the Newcastle Jets.

The Jets led 1-0 at half-time after scoring their opener just one minute into the game.

Newcastle then added another two in the second half before the Phoenix were able to respond when new Norwegian attacking midfielder Sander Kartum scored just a handful of minutes into his club and A-League debut.

Wellington remain eighth, two points outside the top six, while the result moves Newcastle level with Auckland FC at the top of the ladder.

Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano was disappointed with the final result.

“Always disappointed when we lose, especially when it was pretty even in terms of big chances created,” Italiano said.

“It was a 50-50 game in terms of possession, we just got punished for some sloppy defending.

“But in fairness they probably deserved the points.”

Italiano doesn’t believe his side has taken a step backwards after two wins and a draw to start the year.

“If we didn’t make any chances, we got torched 4-1 and we weren’t in the game then I would be a little bit worried.

“On a better day honestly it could have been four-all. If we defend a little bit better we could have won the game 4-3.

“I’m still positive with how the team played in certain periods.”

Italiano named the same eleven which started Sunday’s 2-0 win over Sydney FC and included Kartum on the bench following his arrival from Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts.

The Phoenix play Melbourne City at home next Friday.

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

A disastrous last few seconds has cost the Breakers as they were beaten by the Adelaide 36ers in their NBL game in Auckland.

The top of the table 36ers won the game 112-110 with a buzzer-beater in over-time.

The Breakers trailed by 10 points with three minutes remaining in regulation before captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright inspired his side and sent the game into extra time.

The Breakers were well placed for most of the overtime period, however they conceded a turnover when they failed to inbound the ball in time with just ten seconds remaining and leading by one.

Bryce Cotton then stepped up with a three-pointer with one second remaining to clinch the game and silence the local fans.

Karim Lopez, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Izaiah Brockington all scored 21 points for the Breakers while Sam Mennenga had 20.

The Breakers are seventh on the table with a 10 and 17 record.

They play Melbourne United at home next Friday.

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

With an average age of 20 in the NZ Winter Olympic team, Lyon Farrell is probably considered over the hill in snowboarding years for a first Winter Olympics.

At 27, Farrell is three year’s older than the next oldest members of the 17-strong team, which has been confirmed for next month’s Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Farrell achieved a long held dream when his selection in the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air disciplines was confirmed on Friday.

Mentally, Farrell said he felt like a 20-year-old.

“Just staying in it, riding with a bunch of 19-year-olds …I’m still learning new tricks and giving these young guys a run for their money,” Farrell said.

Farrell grew up in Maui, Hawaii but first learned to ski at Coronet Peak in Queenstown with his parents and siblings.

His Mom was American, and his Dad a Kiwi. His grandparents live in Arrowtown and Farrell spent a lot of his childhood in the South Island.

He switched to snowboarding, following in his big brothers footsteps and entered his first competition in 2011.

He first started training with the New Zealand team in 2014 when he was just 15, then got the opportunity to ride with the USA team.

Farrell was with the US team from 2015 to 2022 but missed out on the last Olympics after tearing his ACL in the lead-up and thought that dream might be over.

Things were very different in 2014 when no New Zealand male athletes were sent to the Sochi Winter Olympics that year.

“So that conversation was never really there, there wasn’t really a structured team around slopestyle riding…I didn’t really see it as something that could happen.

“And then 2018 was when Zoi [Sadowski-Synnott] and Nico [Porteous] really started crushing it and I was like whoa all the guys that I’d been snowboarding with when I was 15-16 years old are doing amazing, I’d love to see what’s going on.”

New Zealand had its most successful Winter Olympic Games at Beijing 2022, where Kiwi athletes claimed two gold medals and a silver.

Sadowski-Synnott made history, winning New Zealand’s first Winter Olympic gold medal in Snowboard Slopestyle, alongside a silver in Big Air. She also won a Big Air bronze medal at PyeongChang 2018 and is off to her third Olympics next month.

Farrell had worked with Sean Thompson, Sadowski-Synnott’s coach, when he was as young as 13. He finished second in the Snowboard Halfpipe at the 2014 Junior World Championships under Thompson.

Four year’s ago Farrell started thinking about switching his allegiances back to New Zealand.

“That friendship and connection I had with the Kiwi team was still super strong and at the time it made the most sense to go back to where I started …really paying homage to the place that I learnt how to snowboard.”

Farrell said he didn’t want to look back when he eventually retired and wonder if he could have been a better snowboarder.

“Didn’t really have to do with the Olympics, it more had to do with could I reach my full potential as an athlete. When I started to look at it I saw that the people I was riding with back in 2014 had created something incredible and that was what I wanted to be a part of.”

He said a big drawcard was to work with coaches Tom Willmott and Thompson again.

“I believe that they are the best in the world and that the New Zealand team was the best place I could possibly be, so I chose to step away from the US team and go where what I thought was better and I feel it continues to show me that it is.”

After watching a new generation of New Zealand snowboarders emerge, Farrell said he felt lucky to just be involved.

“They’ve kind of lifted me to a level now where I feel like I’m not just a good Kiwi but I’m good on the world stage and I can actually do better than I probably ever have before.”

Growing up, professional sport was a part of Farrell’s household.

His mother Angela Cochran was a professional windsurfer for a couple of decades and still competes, so it was no surprise that Farrell ended up competing in an extreme sport.

“I think it was kind of unavoidable being that my Mum was in a freestyle kind of sport where flipping and spinning and pushing yourself was part of the programme.”

Cochran, who still lived in Maui, competed against New Zealand Olympic medallist Barbara Kendall in the 1990s and 2000s.

The Windsurfing Hall of Famers were still great friends.

“Maui was kind of the mecca of windsurfing and she did a lot of racing and wave sailing with Barbara, so Barbara was kind of my main connection whenever I was in the North Island flying through to see my grandparents in the South Island I’d always be with Barbara and her family, it’s pretty cool to have that connection.

“I don’t windsurf but I picked up a couple of other wind sports along the way, little bit of winging, little bit of stand up paddle, downwind foiling, all sorts of random stuff when I have time in the summer.”

The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games would take place from February 6-22 across iconic Italian alpine venues.

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

Black Caps coach Rob Walter said the players all feel for pace bowler Adam Milne, who has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup because of a torn hamstring.

Milne suffered the injury while bowling in South Africa’s SA20 league on Sunday, with scans later revealing it was bad enough to prevent him from playing in next month’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Milne, 33, has been replaced by all-rounder Kyle Jamieson, who is playing for the New Zealand white-ball teams in India as they prepare for the World Cup.

“We’re all gutted for Adam,” Milne said.

“He’d worked so hard to get himself ready for the tournament and was looking back to his best in his eight games for the Eastern Cape Sunrisers.

“It’s unfortunate timing for Adam, and we wish him a speedy recovery.”

Jamieson would be a worthy replacement, Walter said.

“It’s great that Kyle is already with us here in India.

“He’s an integral member of our pace-bowling group and has hit the ground running on this tour.

“He’s a hard worker with a good set of skills and experiences that will hold him [in] good stead for the tournament.”

Walter confirmed a replacement travelling reserve for the T20 World Cup would be confirmed later.

The Black Caps are playing India in the second of five T20 internationals in Raipur on Saturday at 2.30am (NZ time).

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

Wellington Phoenix captain CJ Bott will sit out the remainder of the women’s A-League season after announcing her pregnancy.

Bott and her fiancé have announced they’re expecting their first child in July.

“It’s crazy,” she said. “I’m still wrapping my head around it but it’s something that I’ve always dreamed about and it’s really special.

“We’re over the moon and we’re really excited for this next phase of our lives.

“To bring a little baby into the team will be a lot of fun.”

As a result, Bott will sit out the remainder of the A-League. But the experienced Football Fern is contracted to the Phoenix for another season and plans to play on.

“The next phase of my life is going to be a bit nuts. It already is crazy playing football professionally but adding a little one into the mix will be a lot busier.

“But I think it will be fun and a challenge that I’m more than ready to take on.”

And she still hopes to contribute to the team this season.

“I plan to be as involved as much as I can with the team.

“I’m gutted to be missing out and not being able to do my part, but I definitely have a role off the field, so I still feel very involved and I’ll be supporting from the sidelines.”

Bott will remain the women’s club captain while Mackenzie Barry will continue to lead the side in her absence.

The Phoenix sit eighth on the table and play Adelaide in Porirua on Sunday.

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

Seventeen athletes have been confirmed for next month’s Milano Cortina Winter Olympics – the biggest snow sports contingent that New Zealand has sent to a Winter Olympics.

Nine athletes were selected on Friday to join their eight team-mates who were conditionally selected in October last year. All 17 athletes are now unconditionally selected having confirmed Winter Olympic quota spots.

For Freeski Halfpipe athlete, Ben Harrington, selection to the New Zealand team is a family affair, younger sibling Luca selected earlier.

“I’m super stoked to join the New Zealand Team for Milano Cortina 2026 … It’s also pretty cool to be in the same team as my younger brother,” Harrington said.

“Having been to Beijing in 2022, I have an idea of what’s coming in terms of the Olympic set up. I’ll be looking to use that experience this time around and hopefully make everyone proud who’s supported me along the way,” he said.

Harrington is joined by Gustav Legnavsky in the Freeski Halfpipe, who, at just 16 years old, also competed at Beijing 2022.

Mischa Thomas completes the Freeski Halfpipe athletes for this round of selections. She has Olympic experience from Gangwon 2024 as part of the NZ Team at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Thomas has shown strong form in 2025 including winning both the European Cup in Halfpipe in Corvatsch, Switzerland and the European Cup Premium at Laax, Switzerland in Slopestyle.

The selections of Sylvia Trotter and Lucas Ball make a total of five athletes who will compete in the Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air discipline at Milano Cortina 2026.

Trotter finished tenth at the Stubai Freeski Slopestyle World Cup and seventh at the Secret Garden Freeski Big Air World Cup. Both results were Trotter’s debut World Cup events in the discipline.

Lucia Georgalli joins Zoi Sadwoski-Synnott in the NZ Team for the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air competition.

Georgalli can draw on her experiences at the Winter Youth Olympic Games at Gangwon 2024 where she picked up a silver medal in the Snowboard Slopestyle and a bronze in the Big Air.

Three athletes will compete in the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air at Milano Cortina 2026.

Dane Menzies has strong 2025 form behind him, notably placing fourth in the World Cup in Aspen USA in Slopestyle and fifth in the World Cup in Beijing in Big Air. He also picked up a third place in the 2026 World Cup in Snowmass USA in Slopestyle.

Rocco Jamieson established himself on the international stage in 2025 with World Cup podium finishes at Cardrona and Switzerland before making a standout debut at X Games Aspen 2025, securing a bronze medal.

Lyon Farrell completes the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air contingent, a consistent performer who was able to achieve top 10 placings in Big Air in World Cup events in the USA and China.

Snow Sports NZ chief executive Nic Cavanagh said the athletes selected represented some of the finest talent to emerge in snow sports in New Zealand, now competing at the absolute top of their game.

“In addition to experienced Olympians and World Champions, we are seeing a crop of fearless, young athletes emerge and stamp their mark on the international stage. Their potential is enormous and this is a chance for New Zealanders to watch and cheer from afar as they showcase what they’ve been working on for many years,” he said.

Cavanagh said the future was bright for snow sports in New Zealand.

“This is an illustration of how rich the talent is in the sport right now, and how hard the athletes have worked for selection. Behind them is a community of parents, coaches, supporters, clubs and resorts who have nurtured their development over many years, and who can share in their success. As a community we should be very proud of their accomplishments,” he said.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will take place from 6-22 February 2026 across iconic Italian alpine venues.

Full NZ Team athletes selected for Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games

Ruby Star Andrews – Women’s Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air

Lucas Ball – Men’s Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air

Ben Barclay – Men’s Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air

Lyon Farrell – Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air

Lucia Georgalli – Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air

Ben Harrington – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe

Luca Harrington – Men’s Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air

Luke Harrold – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe

Rocco Jamieson – Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air

Gustav Legnavsky – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe

Cam Melville Ives – Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe

Fin Melville Ives – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe

Dane Menzies – Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air

Alice Robinson – Women’s Alpine Skiing

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott – Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air

Mischa Thomas – Women’s Freeski Halfpipe

Sylvia Trotter – Women’s Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

French coach Fabien Galthié has fired a shot a NZ Rugby after the sacking of Scott Robertson as All Black coach. Galthié, who named his side for the upcoming Six Nations tournament yesterday, said he was “perplexed” at the decision making around Robertson and his predecessor Ian Foster.

“New Zealand’s national policy does not help its national team. That’s my point of view,” Galthié told L’Equipe.

“Today, I don’t know the reasons for Scott Robertson’s departure. They make decisions and take responsibility for them. That’s their problem.”

Galthié said he was in the same room as Foster when the All Black coach learned that his place would be taken by Robertson in 2023.

“In the same way as when I was with Ian Foster at Shape of the Game (a World Rugby forum) in spring 2023. All the coaches who were taking part in the World Cup were there,” he said.

“Around midday, I’m in a workshop. Someone comes to see him, shows him something, and he learns that Scott Robertson has been appointed in his place. They had already started preparing for the World Cup, which was taking place a few months later.”

Galthié was impressed with the way Foster took the news.

“He reacted with great class; he didn’t dwell on it. I just felt a buzz around him. I didn’t find (the situation) very tactful.”

Galthié’s French side comfortably beat the All Blacks in the opening match of the 2023 World Cup, however sensationally lost to eventual champions South Africa in the quarterfinals. Foster’s All Blacks made it all the way to the final before going down 12-11 in a dramatic final.

France will travel to Christchurch in July to open the All Black test season, with the FFR this week confirming that it will likely be a weakened team due to the series overlapping with the Top 14 finals. Galthié brought France to New Zealand last year under the same circumstances and lost the series 3-0, although his impressive young side pushed the All Blacks in the first and third tests.

Meanwhile, the French coach caused a shock with his squad selection this week, dropping the experienced trio of Grégory Alldritt, Gaël Fickou and Damian Penaud.

“You have to be fair, create healthy competition and healthy rivalry,” said Galthié.

“There’s a reassuring, supportive psychological approach, close to what we call building trust, but you also have to be open to other potential players… again, the most important thing is to be fair and that’s the case for these three players.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A big drop in broadcast rights revenue has inevitably led to player pay cuts for the domestic netball league and another year of uncertainty beckons for New Zealand’s top netballers.

In July last year, Netball New Zealand finally secured a broadcast deal for the 2026 ANZ Premiership, following months of negotiations.

Sky Sport had been the major broadcast partner since 2008, but the national body signed a one year agreement with TVNZ – marking the return of the sport on free-to-air television.

RNZ understands Sky TVs offer was substantially lower than any of its previous deals with Netball New Zealand. How much TVNZ are actually paying for the rights, if any, was not disclosed.

Despite the league being cut from three rounds to two last year, ANZ Premiership players managed to stave off pay cuts in 2025.

But NZ Netball Players Association executive manager Steph Bond said under the collective employment agreement signed off late last year, players are taking a 20 percent pay cut in 2026.

“That is slightly skewed by the fact that they will actually be doing less work than they were two year’s ago when they played more games, so it does I guess balance out pro-rata but in saying that it’s not an ideal position to be in,” Bond said.

“I think everyone recognises that players continuing to get paid and get paid well to play sport really helps make the sport successful.”

Under the 20 percent reduction, ANZ Premiership retainers now range from $20,800 to a maximum payment of $44,800.

RNZ understands in Australia the highest earning SSN players can earn around NZ$120,000.

ANZ Premiership players could still earn extra money via non-playing and third party agreements through their franchises at the same level as before.

Not every player will get less money this year.

With nine current and former Silver Ferns set to play in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) league this season, the ANZ Premiership has lost several Tier one players.

Some players who were once Tier 2 will now find themselves as Tier 1 players, so will earn the maximum retainer.

With no broadcast plan in place for the domestic league beyond this year, the collective contract only covers 2026 – a repeat of the situation players found themselves in last year.

“It is really concerning and it does feel like we have been in this position for a number of years but it is the position we find ourselves, in terms of what the broadcast market has put in front of us and that changing landscape and it is something that the players have learnt to live with over the last couple of years.

“It’s not a space we want to continually be in and I think being able to do more work around what the future looks like for the game and provide a bit more long-term certainty for each collective would be a place that everyone really wants to get to.”

Silver Ferns’ retainers have not been affected. It remains to be seen whether Sky TV will continue to broadcast Silver Ferns’ tests.

High Performance changes afoot

Last week Netball NZ announced the appointment of interim CEO Jane Patterson, following the resignation of Jennie Wyllie in December after what was a disastrous year for the national body.

The biggest controversy came in September when Silver Ferns’ coach Dame Noeline Taurua and her coaching team were suspended, over concerns about the high performance environment.

Two Silver Ferns’ players on behalf of a group of seven, raised concerns with the Players’ Association in June.

Dame Noeline was later reinstated, with Netball NZ and Taurua agreeing to embed changes to the Silver Ferns’ programme and environment.

Stephen Hotter resigned earlier this month from his role as head of high performance, which he had held since the start of 2023.

Last week Netball NZ also announced that Chelsea Lane has been appointed Head of Performance – Silver Ferns. Lane’s experience includes senior roles in basketball’s NBA – one of the most high profile sports leagues in the world.

While Hotter’s role was broader, in that he also had an overview of the ANZ Premiership, U21’s programme, and NZ Secondary Schools, Lane’s sole focus will be on the Silver Ferns.

When Dame Noeline was reinstated, it wasn’t clear what would happen to her long-time assistant coach Deb Fuller, or specialist coach Briony Akle.

Netball NZ said Lane would help to “assemble the team that will take the programme forward” and “strengthen leadership” within the Silver Ferns high performance programme.

Bond said Lane’s appointment was a positive step.

“From all accounts Chelsea has a strong background around working in professional sport and in high performance environments so we have a lot of confidence that she can come in and support and we’ve already had several meetings with Chelsea around how she can I guess impact and influence that environment so it is a great environment moving forward.”

Bond said the Players’ Association will meet soon with Patterson, who just started this week.

Former Silver Fern legend Tracey Fear, who was brought in to support the team when Dame Noeline was suspended, is still contracted part-time supporting high performance due to her specific netball knowledge.

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