Publication

WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS

Holland back in All Blacks team for Sydney

ONE Highlanders forward is back in the All Blacks but another has been given the week off. Rising lock Fabian Holland has been restored to the squad and will start alongside Scott Barrett for the second Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney on Saturday...

How Farah Palmer Cup finals might shake out

PREMIERSHIP Canterbury v Auckland Storm The oil: If you were a betting person, you would put your money on Canterbury. But they have not fared that well in finals in recent years, and Auckland knocked off the defending champions, Waikato, twice in...

Hoiho import relishes southern connection

LIFELONG connections can take you across the world. Marie Bertholdt was considering hanging up her shoes when stalwart Southern Hoiho import Paige Bradley planted the seed about one last ‘‘hurrah’’ in New Zealand. They have known each other for nine...

King’s weightlifter continues his dominance

JEREMY Manteiga is used to the weight of expectation. The year 13 King’s High School student collected his fifth national secondary schools weightlifting title in Auckland earlier this month. He produced a personal best clean and jerk of 126kg and a...

National hockey championships continue

BOTH Otago teams have made it into the semifinals of the National Hockey Championship in Wellington. The men were expecting to make the top four and they cruised to a comfortable 41 win against Waikato on Thursday. But the women had set a low bar...

GOING THE DISTANCE

Southern League coaches review the season

NORTHERN have wrapped up a memorable debut season in the Southern League. The Dunedin football club, who made the leap after winning the Southern Premiership in 2025, finished sixth. Fellow Otago sides Dunedin City Royals and Wānaka finished eighth...

THAT’S THE SPIRIT

Farah Palmer Cup season preview

Thunder veteran hopes this could be the year

NOBODY has had the Dunedin Thunder’s back more than Toby Schuck. More often than not, Schuck has chucked on the pads and been a mainstay in goal, swatting away pucks and keeping the Thunder hunting for glory. The 46yearold might be on the more...

Men’s club basketball final preview

THE New Zealand Breakers may not have been among the Australian NBL’s biggest spenders, but new coach Gordon Herbert believes success is not simply about signing the biggest names. It is about finding the right pieces and making sure they fit...

Thunder coach fizzed up for ice hockey playoffs

YOU can feel the buzz around the Dunedin Thunder. They seem to be a united squad who genuinely love playing for each other and have fans swarming to the Dunedin Ice Stadium for record sellout crowds every game. The Thunder have topped that off by...

Commonwealth Games action and results

NEW Zealand’s track cyclists are hunting plenty of medals at the Commonwealth Games. Cycling New Zealand high performance director Ryan Hollows said he was confident the team would perform well in team pursuit and team sprint. The Kiwi contingent...