Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

Former South Africa captain Jean de Villiers says he will not hold a grudge should Tony Brown decide to exit the Springboks and return to New Zealand ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Following Scott Robertson’s shock departure as All Blacks head coach last week, New Zealand Rugby are searching for his successor midway through a Rugby World Cup cycle.

Jamie Joseph has been touted as the favourite to take over and that has linked Brown to a position within the next All Blacks coaching group, despite being the Springboks’ assistant coach.

Speculation is rife that Brown and Joseph will once again combine ahead of the global tournament in Australia, with the pair long-time colleagues having coached together at the Highlanders and in Japan.

It would be a huge blow for the Springboks should that happen with Brown playing a significant role in their development since the 2023 World Cup triumph.

Brown is contracted to South Africa Rugby and has confirmed to The Post that he has no out-clause with the Springboks that would allow him to coach the All Blacks in the wake of Robertson’s sacking – and nor has he been tapped on the shoulder by NZR.

“I’m obviously contracted,” Brown told The Post. “I don’t have an out of my contract, so I’m back in South Africa [until the Rugby World Cup].”

It raises the prospect of NZR needing to pay a huge break-fee to SA Rugby if they want to pursue Brown.

De Villiers told the Boks Unpacked podcast the conundrum Brown faced is “an extremely difficult one”.

“It’s an interesting one. As a human being, I absolutely only have praise and respect for Tony Brown, I think he’s a fantastic guy,” de Villiers said.

“I had the pleasure of playing one season with him at the Stormers and I’ve spent some time with him since he’s been back in his coaching role, and he is just a top person.

“You go in and you become a coach, and you want to be successful in that role as well. He’s been fantastically successful with the Springboks with what he’s added.

“If you can potentially be in the situation where he is closer to his family, it makes more sense for him in his personal capacity and for his family, and maybe financially etc. Can we hold it against him? I don’t think you can.

“But is he the kind of person who will just leave a project halfway through? I don’t think he will either, so it’s an extremely difficult one.”

On Monday, South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus took to social media by posting a meme of Brown, captioned, ‘I’m not leaving’, but there will concern among Boks fans that he will want to go back to their historic rivals.

“Either way I think the right thing will happen. Throw in Rassie Erasmus’ name there and I’m pretty sure his contract with Tony Brown will have been watertight,” de Villiers said.

NZR is in the early stages of the recruitment process, with chair David Kirk saying last week they would “cast the net wide”.

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

Hurricanes wing Fehi Fineanganofo will be heading to the English rugby premiership following the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific and NPC seasons.

The Newcastle Red Bulls have signed Fineanganofo on a two-year deal from the beginning of the 2026-27 Prem season.

Since signing with the Hurricanes in November 2024, the 23-year-old has made 12 appearances and scored six tries for the club.

In addition to his time with the Hurricanes, the dynamic wing has also played three NPC seasons with Bay of Plenty and was a standout for the All Blacks Sevens between 2023 and 2024, featuring for the side at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I’m really excited for this new challenge and opportunity at Newcastle Red Bulls, but my main focus right now is Super Rugby Pacific and the NPC here in New Zealand,” Fineanganofo said.

“I’m super grateful to New Zealand Rugby, the All Blacks Sevens, Bay of Plenty, and the Hurricanes for the chance to achieve my dream of becoming a professional rugby player.

“I’m especially grateful for the support I’ve had over the years, getting me through injuries and back on the field. I want to end this year the right way and chase trophies in both Super Rugby Pacific and the NPC.

“After that, I can’t wait to start a new chapter with Newcastle and the brand of rugby they want to bring to the Premiership.”

While disappointed to lose a player of Fineanganofo’s quality, Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw remains supportive of his decision to head abroad.

“We’ve really enjoyed Fehi’s introduction to Super Rugby Pacific, and we feel there is a hugely exciting future ahead for him,” Laidlaw said.

“Obviously, he’s made his decision to go overseas to Newcastle, and we’ve been in open communication the whole way through it. I understand, respect, and support the decision he and his family have made.

“We look forward to him playing well this year and finishing well in New Zealand rugby, and then wishing him all the best for the future and in his career.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Nearly a year after they secured qualification for the Football World Cup with a victory on Eden Park, the All Whites will return to the stadium to farewell fans ahead of the global tournament.

The All Whites have confirmed their final home games ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026, taking on Chile and Finland at Eden Park in Auckland this March as part of the first FIFA Series held in Aotearoa.

The FIFA Series brings together four competing nations to play quality international fixtures against other top sides.

The four-nation FIFA Series also includes Cape Verde, which qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2026.

World number 52 Chile and 75th-ranked Finland did not qualify for the World Cup kicking off in June, but for the All Whites (ranked 87) and Cape Verde (67) the FIFA Series will be part of an extended warm-up for the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Finland will become the first men’s UEFA nation to play in New Zealand in over 30 years.

Hosting a UEFA nation has been almost unheard of in NZF’s history, with only England (1991) and Hungary (1982) making the trip, while a strong Soviet Union XI toured in 1986.

Finland is not a European heavyweight, but will be strong opposition regardless, given the depth of the UEFA Confederation. In 2024, they faced the likes of England and Portugal, and their opponents last year included the Netherlands, Norway and Poland.

All Whites head coach Darren Bazeley is excited about the prospect of taking on two high-quality teams at home ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“These games are perfect for us as they will give us a real test and aid our preparation for the FIFA World Cup, while also being at home and giving fans the opportunity to support the team before we head to Canada, Mexico and the USA.

“Both Chile and Finland will be challenging opponents, so we expect some really competitive matches, which is exciting for everyone.

“2026 is going to be a massive year for football, so it’s great to announce these fixtures and kick it off in the best way possible,” Bazeley said.

All matches will be played at Eden Park, with double-header match days on Friday 27 and Monday 30 March 2026, kicking off at 4pm and 7pm.

The first match day will see Chile take on Cape Verde, before the All Whites face Finland.

The second match day will see Cape Verde versus Finland, followed by the All Whites hosting Chile.

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

New Zealand basketballer Steven Adams could be set for another injury lay-off in the NBA after falling heavily in the Houston Rockets’ 119-110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

On Monday, the Rockets centre sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter while attempting to block a Zion Williamson layup.

Adams had to be helped from the court by medical staff as he could not stand unassisted.

Adams had come into the starting five against the Pelicans as a replacement for Tari Eason who as out with an ankle injury.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka gave a brief update on the New Zealander’s condition post-game.

“Nothing broken, not a high ankle sprain, not sure about anything as far as time wise but quite a bit of swelling and pain and obviously couldn’t put much weight on it,” Udoka said.

Before being helped off the court in Houston Adams had scored five points, had 10 rebounds and 2 assists in 27 minutes.

The 32-year-old has been an important player for the Rockets this season and is averaging 5.9 points and 8.6 boards across 22.7 minutes in 31 games.

Adams has had injury trouble before, he missed a few games earlier this season with a right ankle injury and missed the entire 2023-24 season with a knee injury.

The Rockets have a 25 win 15 loss record this season and are fifth in the Western Conference.

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

So while the All Black conversation turns to who will be named as new coach, it’s worth weighing up just what they’re getting themselves into. For a start, the test schedule coming up is incredibly daunting. Most of the chat has been around the four test tour of South Africa, but the All Blacks also have home tests against France and Ireland, then finish the year with a tough Nation’s Cup schedule that ends at Twickenham.

That’s just the on field stuff. Scott Robertson’s firing ushered in a new era in the relationship between the All Blacks, NZ Rugby (NZR) and the public, here’s a look at what needs to be considered:

Winning over players

The term ‘player power’ is probably not going away, however the role the squad took in NZR’s decision is far more complicated and interesting than simply having a gripe. But it clearly shows just how important culture is within the team and how the new coaching staff needs to establish it from day one.

Cleanout?

We’ve got a whole season of Super Rugby Pacific to get through so the opportunity is there for potential debutants to put their hands up, so the main question is how bold the new coach will be in establishing his own group.

There’s also the fact that while Robertson is gone, all of his assistants are still employed. How many, if any, stay? Jason Ryan was the only one left after the last coaching handover, it’s hard to think that whoever coming in won’t be bringing their own people with them.

Winning over the public

Whether they like it or not, the All Blacks are now going to be faced with not only scrutiny over results, but a heightened curiosity in whether everything is smooth sailing behind the scenes. The New Zealand rugby public can be extremely fickle and unreasonable, but are consistently astute at reading between the lines – something that played a significant role in Robertson’s downfall.

The standard has been set

While David Kirk was keen to focus on the fact that it was more about the overall trajectory of the All Blacks, it’s hard to ignore the three losses they suffered in 2025. All were disappointing in their own way, but it also sets a marker that whoever takes over will likely be judged by. Strength of schedule is always going to vary, but if the All Blacks lose four tests this year, all of a sudden that overall trajectory is going to be hard to spin positively.

The Springboks

Rassie Erasmus has learned how to generate AI videos, which once again shows just how differently he not only acts as a coach, but also how much leeway his governing body is prepared to give him.

It’s unthinkable that anyone involved in the game here would do something like that, but then again nor would any coach put their best players on the bench or instruct their side to deliberately infringe in an attempt to win scrum penalties.

Like it or not, Erasmus and the Springboks are not only the team but the entire operation that everyone else is getting compared to. If what they do works, and for the most part it has, people are going to start asking why the All Blacks haven’t thought of it first.

Legacy and curse

Much was made about the Eden Park record last year and to give credit to Robertson, the defence of it will stand as his most impressive result as All Black coach. That hype will mount again when Ireland visits in July, and while the threat won’t be as high, it’s still going to add an extra layer of pressure on what will be the new coach’s third test.

Then there’s the Wellington Curse, which Robertson looked to have banished with good wins over the Wallabies and France, before it came back with vengeance when the Springboks gave the All Blacks the worst hiding in their history. Admittedly it would take a miracle for Italy to repeat that in July, but it will stand as an early marker for the trajectory that Kirk mentioned.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Wellington Phoenix continued their unbeaten start to 2026 with another statement win on the road.

The Phoenix upset second-placed Sydney FC 2-0 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, a fortnight after knocking over the then third-placed Roar 3-0 in Brisbane.

Carlo Armiento, on his return from suspension, gave the ‘Nix the halftime lead with a goal from a free kick before Isaac Hughes doubled Wellington’s advantage shortly after the hour mark by scoring his second header in as many games.

Sydney FC played the entirety of the second half with 10 men after having a player sent off shortly before the interval, and rarely threatened the Phoenix goal throughout the 90 minutes.

The result lifts Wellington to eighth on the ladder, just two points outside the top six and with a game in hand over the three sides that occupy the final three finals berths.

Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano said it was a good 90-minute performance.

“We came here with a gameplan and the boys executed very well in the first half and showed a lot of discipline,” Italiano told media post-match.

“In the second half, we adjusted a couple of things and it’s very hard to play against 10 men, but the boys executed very well.

“I’m very happy that some players came on as well and we were able to influence the game with the subs.”

It’s Italiano’s second win over his close friend and former Nix head coach Ufuk Talay.

“We have so much respect for each other. Uffy is really astute when it comes to tactical changes and seeing the game.

“I do have an advantage that I’ve worked with him for so long and also we probably did a couple of things that he wasn’t expecting today.

“But again, I’m not expecting an easy game now when they come back home in a couple of weeks.”

Giancarlo Italiano made one change to the XI which started last Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Adelaide United with Armiento returning from suspension in place of Lukas Kelly-Heald, who was named amongst the substitutes.

Twin brother Alby Kelly-Heald was also back on the bench along with new signing Bill Tuiloma, who was available to make his Phoenix and A-League debut.

The Wellington Phoenix will stay over in New South Wales as they are back in action against the Jets in Newcastle on Friday night.

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

An in-form Daniel Hillier surged to the late lead before settling for runner-up honours and a healthy pay-day at the Dubai Invitational.

The New Zealand golfer finished alone in second place behind Spaniard Nacho Elvira, who managed a par on his final hole to finish on 10-under, one stroke ahead of Hillier.

New Zealand compatriot Ryan Fox was in a share of 27th on two-over.

A mammoth putt for birdie on the 15th hole put Hillier on top of the leaderboard, closing with a six-under 65 to be clear of a group that included Northern Ireland’s world No.2 Rory McIlroy.

However, Elvira held his nerve, shooting birdie on the 17th to ultimately leave Hillier receiving a nevertheless sizeable cheque of US$302,000 (NZ$526,000).

“To be honest, at the start of the week I was chatting with (Ryan) Foxy, and we had a couple of nine-hole matches and he said ‘why can’t you be like this when you’re playing in a tournament?’,” Hillier said.

“Just pretend I was playing a little nine-hole match against the golf course, and yeah, basically taking it one shot at a time. For the most part, happy days.”

Hillier is in a rich vein of form, having opened the season with sixth and fifth placings at the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open respectively.

He placed 16th at last November’s season-ending World Tour Championship, a result that left him fractionally short of earning a maiden PGA Tour card.

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

Raglan surfers Billy Stairmand and Maya Mateja have picked up the premier prizes at the national surfing championships north of Gisborne.

It was ninth national title for Stairmand, while 17-year-old Mateja bagged her second crown, with both handling the unruly 1.5m waves at Makorori Beach with aplomb.

Stairmand was delighted to snare his first piece of national silverware since 2021, the 36-year-old needing to see off the largest field of surfers in the past two decades.

“I had a couple of scrappy heats this week, it was small most of the week but contestable and I just couldn’t find my rhythm,” he said.

“I actually changed up my boards today too which was good and I saved my best performance until last. My ninth title feels real good.”

Stairmand tallied 17.84 points to dominate the final, with defending champion Alexis Owen of Dunedin finishing runner up.

The women’s final was closer, clinched by Mateja when she scored a late wave score of 5.73 for a total of 12.80 to narrowly pip Ariana Walker.

“I feel so happy and blessed, super grateful to be here with my family and enjoy the event and get the win this week,” said Mateja.

“Really hard conditions today, I didn’t know what was going on out there because I couldn’t hear the scores coming out. The other girls were surfing good, so I knew I had to concentrate on getting more good waves for the win and when I came into the beach, I found out that I did enough.”

Owen won the under-18 boys title while Taranaki claimed the under-18 boys title.

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

Ally Wollaston will take a 14-second lead into the third and final stage of the Tour Down Under after dominating the first two days of the World Tour race in Adelaide.

Wollaston powered to victory in each of the first two stages, leaving many of the world’s premier riders in her wake.

Both finishes were uphill sprints, which suited the 25-year-old former track star perfectly, calling on her power to twice clinch victory for her French team FDJ-United Suez.

Despite admitted to lacking energy for Sunday’s second stage, Wollaston was still able to burn off the tour’s defending champion Noemi Ruegg of Switzerland and beat her to the line.

Monday afternoon’s 126km stage is in the hills neighbouring Adelaide, where Wollaston and her teammates can expect to be subjected to attacks in temperatures of around 30 degrees.

Wollaston is a former two-time track world champion and won also won silver and bronze in track events at the Paris Olympics.

The Aucklander has also had her share of success as a road professional.

A year ago she won the Great Ocean Road Race one-day event near Melbourne and went on to clinch the overall prize at the Tour of Britain.

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 batters Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips have scored centuries in a devastating partnership to lay the platform for a 41-run win over India in their third one-day international (ODI), which sealed a comeback 2-1 series victory.

A target of 337 left the hosts facing a daunting task and they ran out of steam despite veteran Virat Kohli’s battling knock of 124.

India started shakily and lost wickets at frequent intervals before Kohli gave home fans hope as he combined with Nitish Kumar Reddy (53) in an 88-run partnership.

Kristian Clarke removed Reddy to stymie India’s momentum and the required run rate quickly climbed, but Kohli found another able partner in Harshit Rana as the pair stepped on the gas.

Kohli reached a record-extending 54th ODI century and Rana hit a whirlwind 52 off 43 balls, but a decisive over from Zak Foulkes broke India’s resistance.

Foulkes tempted Rana with a full toss which was caught by Henry Nicholls at long-on, before an edge from Mohammed Siraj carried through to wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay on the next delivery.

The final blow was dealt two overs later, when Kohli miscued a shot and sent the ball sailing into the hands of Mitchell at long-off.

New Zealand were struggling at 58-3 after being put into bat on a Holkar Stadium wicket known for producing high-scoring games.

However, Mitchell took the attack to the hosts’ bowlers and was well supported by Phillips as they added 219 in 188 balls.

Mitchell, who made 84 in the first ODI and 131 in the second, hit 15 fours and three sixes to post a career-high ODI score of 137 and record his fourth century in India.

The teams next meet in a five-match Twenty20 International series from 21-31January (local time), a key part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup which begins on 7 February and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

-Reuters

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