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Ryan Fox had a spectacular first round at the PGA's Mexico Open PHOTO: DP WORLD TOUR New Zealand’s Ryan Fox holed the longest putt of the PGA TOUR season at 91 feet, 7 inches at the Mexico Open in VidantaWorld. Fox, 38, drained a birdie putt measuring 91 feet, 7 inches on the par-3 fifth hole in the opening round, on his 14th hole of the day. LATEST HEADLINES: NZC and Sky TV new six-year deal NBL rosters filling up as season nears Tall Blacks rout Hong Kong on the road Defender Sakai remains at Auckland FC Losses for New Zealand tennis quartet It was the season’s longest putt, surpassing Cameron Young (71 feet, 2 inches at the WM Phoenix Open). Fox signed for a 3-under 68 at VidantaWorld, four back of early co-leaders Harry Hall and Jeremy Paul. It's the longest putt on Tour since Henrik Norlander's 93-footer at the 2023 Valero Texas Open. Fox caught the green’s back-left portion at the 192-yard par 3, making for a dicey two-putt proposition across the putting surface. He didn’t miss a beat, as the ball started well left of the hole before steadily drifting to the right and making a 360-degree spin around the cup before dropping in. “I'm not going to say I had a good line on that,” Fox told PGA Tour. “I just kind of, you know, picked it out. It was breaking a whole chunk left to right and just tried to get the speed right and got lucky in the end. I didn't realize how much of a loop around the hole it did; I was obviously pretty far away, so seeing it up close on camera's pretty sweet. “I'd like to hit a little closer than 88, 90 feet or whatever it is, but it's always nice when you see those go in. Nice little bonus from a pretty poor tee shot, to be honest.” The remainder of Fox's round mixed eight birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.

The Tall Blacks have started the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers with a bang, dismantling Hong Kong Forward Jordan Ngatai led the way with 20 points, including six three-pointers, as the Tall Blacks never had to get out of third gear, easing to a 92-51 victory at Tsuen Wan Stadium, Hong Kong on Thursday (Friday NZ Time). LATEST HEADLINES: Defender Sakai remains at Auckland FC Losses for New Zealand tennis quartet White Ferns bowler Penfold out injured Black Caps blast Pakistanis in opener Wood vs Haaland as NZ face Norway All Blacks back to start in Super Rugby Coupled with the Philippines' shock 91-84 loss to Chinese Taipei, the Tall Blacks now have a chance to take the top spot in Group B in their final qualifying clash with Gilas Pilipinas at Auckland's Spark Arena on Sunday (tip-off 3pm). Supporting Ngatai, who went 6-of-7 from long-range and added five rebounds and three steals to his stat-line, captain Reuben Te Rangi had 18 points (7/10 FG, 2/3 3pt) and Tai Wynyard 13 points (6/9 FG) and nine boards. With New Zealand's forward line dominating, Tohi Smith-Milner added 11 points (4/7 FG, 2/5 3pt) and two steals, while point guard Taylor Britt produced nine points, four rebounds and four assists. Tall Blacks debutant Jackson Ball stares down his Hong Kong opponent. PHOTO: FIBA Having already secured a place at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia, the Tall Blacks made a rapid start to the game, with Sam Waardenburg winning the opening tip and Te Rangi bustling to the hoop for an and-one and three-point play. Te Rangi’s aggressive play set the tone early, scoring nine of the Tall Blacks' first 14 points. Hong Kong also started strongly getting to the cup with ease and making their first five field goals, keeping them within touching distance. Ngatai’s back-to-back triples and solid on-ball defence wrestled momentum back the way of the Tall Blacks, who ended the quarter with a 26-21 lead. In the most exciting moment of the first period, Canterbury Rams guard Tama Isaac got onto the floor for his debut in the black singlet, joining brother Kaia, and becoming the ninth pair of brothers to play for New Zealand. Jordan Ngatai hit 6-of-7 three-pointers to help the Tall Blacks ease out to a big win over Hong Kong. PHOTO: FIBA Te Rangi and Ngatai continued their hot start, scoring at will to start the second. The pair scored a combined 30 of the Kiwis' 52 first-half points. Another impressive debutant Jackson Ball made an immediate impact with a huge block, further energising the team as they opened the flood gates, going up 19 points by halftime. The outside shooting of the Tall Blacks once again proving to be a key weapon, going 12-of-25 from deep, helping them extend their lead to 24 points at the end of the third. Ball finally got on the scoresheet in the fourth quarter, completing the rare feat of all 11 Tall Blacks who suited up scoring in the game. Veteran Corey Webster did not play, meaning his 100th appearance will likely come at home on Sunday. Wynyard’s thunderous one-handed jam with a minute and a half left in the fourth added an exclamation point for the Kiwis. Hong Kong big man Duncan Reid used his strength down low and battled fiercely with the Kiwi bigs all night long to post an impressive 17-point, four-rebound night for the home side. Tall Blacks head coach Judd Flavell was pleased with the team's defensive performance. PHOTO: FIBA Head coach Judd Flavell was impressed with his team’s performance, particularly on the defensive end. “We really wanted to come into this game tonight and established a defensive identity which meant we wanted to be up the floor, pressuring the basketball and trying to make Hong Kong feel uncomfortable out there. "In the first five minutes, Hong Kong got off to a great start, but I felt like we made some good adjustments from that point on.” That defensive pressure equated to 24 Hong Kong turnovers, leading directly to 21 points. “We have a lot to build, this is my second campaign with the group. We have half of the team that was here from November, and the rest of the guys were new to the system. So we always knew we were going to be a little clunky in a couple of places. But we really wanted to make sure at the end of the day, that our defence was going to get the job done.” Tall Blacks captain Reuben Te Rangi echoed these thoughts in the post game press conference. “We’ve been together for two or three days, and we knew the Xs and Os were going to be perfect for this game. But the one thing we wanted to hang our hats on was the effort and making sure we were in the battle.” Tall Blacks 92 (Jordan Ngatai 20, 6/7 3PM, Reuben Te Rangi 18, 7/10FG, Tai Wynyard 13) Hong Kong 51 (Duncan Reid 17). 1Q: 26-21 HT: 52-33, 3Q: 71-47

New Zealand's Erin Routliffe (right) and Gaby Dabrowski lost there second round doubles match at Dubai PHOTO: NZSW There's been a quartet of defeats for New Zealand tennis players around the world in doubles matches. In Dubai, second seeded pair Erin Routliffe and Gaby Dabrowski lost a tight match 6-4, 3-6, 10-2 against Czech Linda Noskova and Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan). LATEST HEADLINES: Penfold out of White Ferns injured Black Caps beat Pakistan in opener Potential Wood v Haaland football Who will win Super Rugby round 2 Lydia Ko takes top Halberg Awards Lulu Sun and Peyton Stearns were set to face top seeds Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) and American Taylor Townsend in the second round. However Stearns had to withdraw injured. Earlier Stearns lost her singles match against Mirra Andreeva 6-1 6-1. Also in the Middle East, but in Doha Michael Venus and Croatia's Nikola Mektic went down 4-6 6-3 10-3 to the British pair of Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury, in a match that lasted for one hour, 26 minutes. At the Glasgow Challenger in Scotland Davis Cup team member Finn Reynolds and American Mac Kiger were beaten by second seeds Daniel Cukierman (Israel) and Josh Paris 6-4, 6-4.

Respected Auckland FC captain Hiroki Sakai will remain at the club for at least another year PHOTO: AUCKLAND FC Auckland FC captain Hiroki Sakai has signed a one-year contract extension, keeping him in the city and in the A-league until the end of the 25/26 season. The Japanese right-back has become an integral part of the team – scoring one, assisting another, and at the heart of a defence that has kept nine clean sheets, conceding the fewest goals in the competition. LATEST HEADLINES: Losses for kiwi tennis quaratet Penfold out of White Ferns injured Black Caps beat Pakistan in opener Potential Wood v Haaland football Who will win Super Rugby round 2 He is also responsible for forcing two very memorable own goals. The first, and the team’s very first, was in Auckland’s opening game against Brisbane Roar and the second, in the 2-1 home derby win against the Wellington based team. Loving life in Auckland and with the team, Sakai said the decision to extend his contract was an easy one to make. “My family and I have really taken to Auckland. It is a beautiful city; we are all very settled and the support we have all received has been incredible. As for this team, they are fantastic. I love playing with them and running out in front of our fans – the love and support I have received from them is like nothing else,” says Sakai. “I try not to look too far ahead, especially when there is still so much we can achieve over the next few months, but I just couldn’t image packing up and moving on at the end of the season.” With 74 appearances for the Japanese national team, Sakai is probably the most high-profile of Auckland’s overseas imports and has been one of the stand-out players across the A-League. The experienced 34-year-old has played in three FIFA World Cups and two Olympic Games. He’s one of eight Japanese players enjoying life in the A-League men’s competition, representing the largest group of overseas imports playing in the league. “For all his quality he is a very humble guy,” says head coach Steve Corica. “He’s a great pro, a great influence on the younger guys and a player who is highly regarded by everyone at the club.” “On the pitch he’s just fantastic. He covers an incredible amount of ground and is technically very gifted. I think we all remember his last man tackle against Melbourne Victory. “Having Hiroki here for at least another season is great news for us and for the fans who enjoy seeing him perform every week.” A seasoned European campaigner, Hiroki made 96 appearances at Hannover 96 (Germany’s Bundesliga) and played over 145 matches for Olympique de Marseille (French Ligue 1). The next game for the club is the derby on Saturday, March 22 against the Wellington Phoenix.

White Ferns bowler Molly Penfold is out injured for the remainder of the season PHOTO: LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY White Ferns pace bowler Molly Penfold has been ruled out for the remainder of the home summer after sustaining a torn meniscus to her left knee. Penfold sustained the injury while warming up ahead of the Auckland Hearts Hallyburton Johnstone Shield fixture earlier this month. LATEST HEADLINES: Black Caps beat Pakistan in opener Potential Wood v Haaland football Who will win Super Rugby round 2 Lydia Ko takes top Halberg Awards All Blacks to play Ireland in Chicago The 23-year-old underwent surgery last week and is expected to return to full fitness in eight-to-12 weeks. The injury means Penfold will be unavailable for the remainder of the HBJ Shield and the inbound Sri Lanka and Australia series. White Ferns coach Ben Sawyer said the news was disappointing for Penfold. “We’re all gutted for Molly,” said Sawyer. “It’s a really unfortunate way for her summer to end, especially after strong contributions during the Rose Bowl series. “The positive is that her recovery timelines should see her fit for our winter training schedule.” The New Zealand squad to face Sri Lanka will be named next week.

Scott Barrett was the first player to receive a yellow card in Super Rugby 2025. Can his Crusaders beat the Chiefs in round two PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER/LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY The second round of Super Rugby Pacific begins on Friday with the Chiefs and Crusaders facing off in Hamilton, before Moana Pasifika meet the Queensland Reds. On Saturday, the Hurricanes host the Fijian Drua in Napier at 4.35pm. LATEST HEADLINES: Lydia Ko takes top Halberg Awards All Blacks to play Ireland in Chicago Jamieson in, Ferguson out for NZ Fisher-Black second, stage one UAE Williamson for Middlesex county cricket The Highlanders and Blues then clash in Dunedin. Chiefs vs Crusaders, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, Friday, 7.05pm A number of changes by Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan to his side which beat the Blues, with All Blacks Aidan Ross, Emoni Narawa and Tupou Vaa’i among those to join the starting lineup. Leroy Carter shifts from the right wing to the left, with Etene Nanai-Seturo ruled out due to a hamstring injury. For the Crusaders, halfback Noah Hotham facing a stint on the sidelines due to an ankle injury, with Kyle Preston – the competition’s leading try scorer after Round 1 – starting at No 9. That is the only change to Rob Penney’s starting XV from Round 1, with Mitchell Drummond joining the reserves. CHIEFS: Damian McKenzie, Emoni Narawa, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rameka Poihipi, Leroy Carter, Josh Jacomb, Xavier Roe, Luke Jacobson, Jahrome Brown, Simon Parker, Tupou Vaa’i, Josh Lord, George Dyer, Bradley Slater, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Brodie McAlister, Jared Proffit, Reuben O’Neill, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Quinn Tupaea, Gideon Wrampling Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams 2. Ioane Moananu 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Scott Barrett 5. Antonio Shalfoon 6. Cullen Grace 7. Ethan Blackadder 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Kyle Preston 10. Taha Kemara 11. Sevu Reece 12. David Havili (c) 13. Levi Aumua 14. Chay Fihaki 15. Will Jordan. Reserves: 16. Manumaua Letiu 17. George Bower 18. Sam Matenga 19. Tahlor Cahill 20. Corey Kellow 21. Mitchell Drummond 22. James O’Connor 23. Dallas McLeod. Reds v Moana Pasifika, 9:35pm Friday 21 February, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane An unchanged starting XV will take the field for Moana Pasifika coached byTana Umaga in their clash with the Reds in Brisbane. The only change to the match-day team comes on the bench, where Manu Samoa representative Losi Filipo wears the No 23 jersey. Ola Tauelangi is the man to make way. Moana Pasifika: 1. James Lay 2. Millennium Sanerivi 3. Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou 4. Samuel Slade 5. Allan Craig 6. Miracle Faiilagi 7. Sione Havili Talitui 8. Ardie Savea (c) 9. Jonathan Taumateine 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop 11. Kyren Taumoefolau 12. Lalomilo Lalomilo 13. Pepesana Patafilo 14. Solomon Alaimalo 15. William Havili. Reserves: 16. Sama Malolo 17. Tito Tuipulotu 18. Chris Apoua 19. Tom Savage 20. Semisi Tupou Tailoa 21. Melani Matavao 22. Danny Toala 23. Losi Filipo. Hurricanes v Drua, 4:35pm Saturday 22 February, McLean Park, Napier A head injury to lock Isaia Walker-Leawere will see Hugo Plummer start alongside Caleb Delany in the Hurricanes tight five. against the unpredictable Fijian Drua in an otherwise unchanged starting side. Will Tucker will provide the locking minutes off the bench as the only new face to join the match-day squad. Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia 2. Jacob Devery 3. Tevita Mafileo 4. Caleb Delany 5. Hugo Plummer 6. Brad Shields (cc) 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc) 8. Brayden Iose 9. Cameron Roigard 10. Harry Godfrey 11. Kini Naholo 12. Peter Umaga-Jensen 13. Bailyn Sullivan 14. Fatafehi Fineanganofo 15. Callum Harkin. Reserves:: 16. Raymond Tuputupu 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones 18. Pasilio Tosi 19. Will Tucker 20. Peter Lakai 21. Ereatara Enari 22. Riley Hohepa 23. Ngatungane Punivai. Highlanders v Blues, 7:05pm Saturday 22 February, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Both teams are ruing game which they could have won, especially the Highlanders in their last second loss to the Waratahs. Folau Fakatava returns to the starting lineup for the Highlanders while Sean Withy will move from openside to blindside flanker with Veveni Lasaqa joining the starting XV in the No 7 jersey. Finn Hurley also joins the starting side at fullback, seeing Sam Gilbert shift to the right wing and Michael Manson out of the match-day squad. Hoskins Sotutu will be back in the No 8 jersey for the Blues this weekend, seeing Cameron Suafoa shift to blindside flanker and Anton Segner drop out of the match-day squad. It is one of two changes to the run-on side, with halfback Finlay Christie starting and Taufa Funaki moving back to the bench. Hooker James Mullan is in-line for his debut off the bench, with lock Josh Beehre also joining the impact squad. Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot 2. Soane Mikaele Vikena 3. Saula Ma’u 4. Fabian Holland 5. Mitch Dunshea 6. Sean Withy 7. Veveni Lasaqa 8. Hugh Renton (cc) 9. Folau Fakatava 10. Taine Robinson 11. Caleb Tangitau 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai (cc) 13. Tanielu Tele’a 14. Sam Gilbert 15. Finn Hurley. Reserves: 16. Jack Taylor 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown 18. Sefo Kautai 19. Will Stodart 20. Nikora Broughton 21. Nathan Hastie 22. Cameron Millar 23. Lui Naeata. Blues: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Ricky Riccitelli 3. Marcel Renata 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) 5. Laghlan McWhannell 6. Cameron Suafoa 7. Dalton Papali’i 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Finlay Christie 10. Harry Plummer 11. Caleb Clarke 12. AJ Lam 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Mark Tele’a 15. Beauden Barrett. Reserves:: 16. James Mullan 17. Joshua Fusitua 18. Angus Ta’avao 19. Josh Beehre 20. Adrian Choat 21. Taufa Funaki 22. Corey Evans 23. Cole Forbes.

Chris Wood could face Erling Haaland as New Zealnad face Norway. PHOTO: NOTTINGHAM FOREST Two of the English Premier League’s top goalscorers could go head-to-head in October when the All Whites take on Norway in Oslo for an international friendly. The match on Wednesday, October 14 (October 15 NZ Time) at Ullevaal Stadion will likely pit Manchester City’s Erling Haaland against All Whites captain Chris Wood. LATEST HEADLINES: Who will win Super Rugby round 2 Lydia Ko takes top Halberg Awards All Blacks to play Ireland in Chicago Jamieson in, Ferguson out for NZ Fisher-Black second, stage one UAE Harling has 19 goals for City, four fewer than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, while Wood has 18 goals in his best Premier League season. Should the All Whites win the FIFA World Cup Oceania Qualifiers next month in Wellington and Auckland, to secure a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA, the match will form a critical part of the team’s build-up programme. “We are fully focused on March’s Oceania Qualifiers, but if we win and secure a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026, it is critical that we face top players and opposition to put us in the best position to perform at the tournament” said All Whites head coach Darren Bazeley. “We absolutely are not taking anything for granted this March, but if we come through the qualifiers, we need to have a full programme of games lined up so we have been working hard in the background to lock in some top tier fixtures to really test ourselves against the sort of sides we could face in 2026. “This Norway side has some world-class talent playing in top leagues around the world, so will be a real challenge but a challenge we embrace and are looking forward to.” The All Whites will face Fiji in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup Oceania Qualifiers on March 21 at Sky Stadium in Wellington, with the winner qualifying for the final on March 24 at Eden Park in Auckland. The Oceania champions will automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in history after the tournament was expanded to 48 nations, giving an OFC side direct entry.

Paris Olympics golf medalist Lydia Ko was named Supreme Halberg Award winner. PHOTO: THE NZ TEAM Golfing icon Lydia Ko has won New Zealand's top sporting honour, the Supreme Halberg Award at a ceremony in Auckland. Ko was also named Sportswoman of the Year, recognising a stellar year in which she won Olympic gold in Paris and the Women's British Open, and was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame. LATEST HEADLINES: All Blacks to play Ireland in Chicago Jamieson in, Ferguson out for NZ Fisher-Black second, stage one UAE Williamson for Middlesex county cricket Warriors women to make Hamilton home She won ahead of previous winners Lisa Carrington, track cyclist Ellesse Andrews, Women's T20 World Cup player of the tournament Amelia Kerr, top-ranked doubles tennis player Erin Routliffe and rower Emma Twigg for the women's award. Olympic high jump gold medalist Hamish Kerr was named Sportsman of the Year, ahead of kayak cross Olympic gold medallist Finn Butcher, triathlete Hayden Wilde, footballer Chris Wood and jockey James McDonald. New Zealand's Paralympic gold medallist in Paris, Anna Grimaldi, was named Para Athlete of the Year. The women's Olympic champion K4 sprint kayak crew of Carrington, Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan were named team of the year ahead of the Black Ferns Sevens, America's Cup winners Team New Zealand, rowers Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis, and the Women's T20 World Cup-winning White Ferns. Other winners included footballer Tyler Bindon as the Emerging Talent award and tennis' Marcus Daniell won the Leadership Award, recognising his commitment to athlete advocacy and philanthropic efforts in the sporting community. HALBERG AWARDS WINNERS Supreme Halberg Award: Lydia Ko (golf) Sportswoman of the Year: Lydia Ko (golf) Sportsman of the Year: Hamish Kerr (athletics - high jump) Para Athlete of the Year: Anna Grimaldi (Para athletics - sprinting) Team of the Year: Women's K4 sprint kayak crew (canoe racing) Coach of the Year: Gordon Walker (canoe racing) Emerging Talent: Tyler Bindon (football) Leadership Award: Marcus Daniell (tennis) Sir Murray Halberg Legacy Award: Michael Hynard

Tom Latham scored an unbeaten century in the ICC Champions Trophy win over Pakistan PHOTO: ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY The Black Caps have beaten Pakistanby 60 runs to open their Cjhampions Trophy tournament in Karachi. Put into bat on a ground they were already familiar with New Zealand set a target of 320-5 in their 50 overs. LATEST HEADLINES: Potential Wood v Haaland football Who will win Super Rugby round 2 Lydia Ko takes top Halberg Awards All Blacks to play Ireland in Chicago Jamieson in, Ferguson out for NZ The total came about thanks to 100's for Will Young and Tom Latham as well as a cameo 61 from Glenn Phillips. They then suffocated Pakistan's batting with Will O'Rourke, captain Mitch Santner and Matt Henry the key destroyers to dismiss Pakistan for 260 in the 48th over. The Black Caps started a little shakey with Devon Conway out for 10 and Kane Williamson one when the score was 40. Daryl Mitchell was then dismissed for 10 and the score was 70. However Young continued to build and was joined by Latham as they took charge. Young making 107 from 113 balls with 12 fours and a six while Latham made 118 not out including 10 fours and three sixes. Phillips made 61 from 31 balls with four sixes and three fours to delight the crowd. In the field the Black Caps frustrated Pakistan as Babar Azam got a start but was out for 64 and Khushdil Shah top scored with 69. O'Rourke had figures of 3-47 off nine overs, Santner 3-66 from 10 while Henry took 2-25 from 7.2 overs. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith took a wicket each.

Kyle Jamieson is in the Black Caps as a replacement for Lockie Ferguson. PHOTO: DAVE LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY The Black Caps issues with fast bowlers continues leading into the Champions Trophy, with fast bowler Lockie Ferguson ruled out of the tournament. Ferguson felt some pain in his right foot after bowling a spell in the informal warm-up match against Afghanistan in Karachi on Sunday. LATEST HEADLINES: Fisher-Black second, stage one UAE Williamson for Middlesex county cricket Warriors women to make Hamilton home Car damage ends SVG hopes at Daytona Sun loses singles, wins doubles at Dubai An initial medical assessment indicated he would not be fit enough to take part in the entire tournament. Given the proximity to the start of the Champions Trophy and the short nature of the tournament, the decision was made to send Ferguson home to begin rehabilitation. Canterbury fast bowler Kyle Jamieson will replace Ferguson in the squad, and will depart for Pakistan on Tuesday night. Jamieson returned to domestic cricket for the Kings in the Super Smash in December, following a 10-month stint on the sideline rehabilitating a stress fracture in his back. He played a key role as the Kings reached the grand final, finishing as the competition's joint second leading wicket-taker with 14, including figures of 4-12 against the Central Stags at Hagley Oval. He featured in Canterbury's Round 8 Ford Trophy match against the Central Stags last week as well as today's round nine win over Northern Districts in Hamilton. Ben Sears was earlier ruled out of the tournament due to injury with Jacob Duffy called in as a replacement. ICC Champions Trophy fixtures: Wednesday 19 February, 10pm NZT - Black Caps v Pakistan - National Stadium Karachi Monday 24 February, 10pm NZT - Bangladesh v Black Caps - Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Sunday 2 March, 10pm NZT - Black Caps v India - Dubai International Stadium Tuesday 4 March, 10pm NZT - 1st Semi-Final - Dubai International Stadium Wednesday 5 March, 10pm NZT - 2nd Semi-Final - Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Sunday 9 March, 10pm NZT - Final - TBC

The All Blacks and Ireland will continue their rivalry at Chicago's Soldier Field in the USA in November. PHOTO: CHLOE KNOTT/ACTION PRESS New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the All Blacks will take on Ireland at Chicago’s Soldier Field this November. NZR Chief Executive Mark Robinson believed it's a great opportunity for both teams to take their brand to the city. LATEST HEADLINES: Jamieson in, Ferguson out for NZ Fisher-Black second, stage one UAE Williamson for Middlesex county cricket Warriors women to make Hamilton home Car damage ends SVG hopes at Daytona “We’re excited to be taking the All Blacks back to Chicago, and for it to be against Ireland is especially fitting. We have massive respect for the Irish, and recent history between our two teams means that this will be a highly anticipated match up. Both teams have passionate fans who will be keen to make an occasion of travelling to the game at such an iconic venue.”  NZR was looking forward to bringing the game to American sports fans, with the event providing opportunity to grow rugby on a global scale and in the US, Robinson said. “Rugby is experiencing great momentum in the US, particularly with the upcoming Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033, and with the growth of Major League Rugby. The US is part of our wider global strategy, and we’re looking forward to this match as part of our ongoing engagement with North America.” All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson was looking forward to playing in the city. “This will be an epic rematch in one of the world’s great sporting cities. All Blacks supporters will remember well the last time we faced Ireland at this venue, which launched one of our fiercest modern rivalries. This is an awesome addition to our 2025 schedule; we look forward to bringing the team back to the US and being part of this sporting spectacle.” The rivalry between the teams goes back 120 years to the first time the two sides met in 1905, but has taken on an extra edge since Ireland beat the All Blacks for the first time in 2016 at Soldier Field, with a 40-29 win. Since the 2016 showdown in the city, the two sides have battled it out in 10 Test matches, securing five wins apiece. The teams’ most recent Test saw the All Blacks win 23-13 in Dublin during the 2024 Northern Tour, but Ireland’s recent success includes an historic Grand Slam during their Six Nations campaign in 2023, and a series win in New Zealand in 2022. All Blacks v Ireland, Soldier Field, Chicago, kick-off 1 November 3pm CDT/2 November 9am NZDT.

The Warriors women seen here in 2018 are back in the competition in 2025 and playing several games in Hamilton PHOTO: SIMON WATT/LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY The Warriors are returning to the NRLW this season after a five-year absence, and will play the majority of their home games in Hamilton. Three stand-alone NRLW matches from their five home games will be played at FMG Stadium Waikato late in the season. LATEST HEADLINES: Car damage ends SVG hopes at Daytona Sun loses singles, wins doubles at Dubai Another Challenge Tour top-5 for Jones Hayden Wilde sprints to win in Abu Dhabi Own goal costs Phoenix Women vs Glory   LIV Golf's Danny Lee to play at NZ Open Their first game in the Waikato will be their round seven fixture against the Canberra Raiders August 16, followed a week later by their round eight contest against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks August 24, and the round 10 encounter with the powerful Brisbane Broncos on 7 September. Warriors NRLW head coach Ron Griffiths welcomed the opportunity to promote the team and the competition in the region. "I believe the NRLW is a unique product, thus I applaud the decision by our club to work collaboratively with Hamilton council and take our stand-alone games to the region," he said. "What we are embarking on is unparalleled in the NRLW. Furthermore, playing in the mighty Waikato is pivotal for our female pathway and player development." The Warriors' men's side played a pre-season fixture against the Melbourne Storm in Hamilton on Saturday in front of a crowd 23,344 - a record for a Warriors trial match. Warriors CEO Cameron George was thrilled to take the women's game there too. "It's a huge opportunity to put the spotlight on the NRLW side and the game as a whole at a time when women's playing numbers are booming in New Zealand. "There's also tremendous value taking our team to the Waikato region and giving fans a great opportunity to get in behind the players, a number of whom come from the area." The Warriors kick off their NRLW return against the Sydney Roosters July 6. The club has signed 22 of its top 24 players so far, including big names such as Black Ferns superstar Michaela Brake (née Blyde), Kiwi Ferns fullback Apii Nicholls and a host of players with international rugby league and rugby union experience. As a foundation club, the Warriors played in the NRLW in 2018, 2019 and 2020. They had one standalone home match in that time, hosting St George Illawarra at Go Media Stadium in 2019. The 12 teams in the 2025 NRLW are: Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla Sutherland Sharks, Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys, New Zealand Warriors, Parramatta Eels, St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers..