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New Zealand cycling star Ally Wollaston has earned her first rainbow jersey with a brilliant win in the elimination race on day two of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Denmark. Wollaston not only claimed the gold medal in an exciting battle, she bettered a star-studded field including Belgian superstar, the six-time world champion and double elimination world winner, Lotte Kopecky in the final at the Ballerup Sports Arena in Copenhagen. LATEST HEADLINES: Weary Breakers handed first loss of season Milestone for Henry as Black Caps dominate Silver Fern Temu recommits to NSW Swifts Wollaston starts championships with medal Britannia back in America's Cup contention The elimination race featured 22 riders, with the last rider after each two laps being eliminated, until two riders remain to fight it out for the title. The 23-year-old Kiwi Olympic omnium medallist in Paris used her race-craft and speed to remain clear until she was one of four riders remaining. They comprised Kopecky, seven-time world champion and Paris Olympic omnium gold medallist, Jennifer Valente (USA) and Letizia Paternoster (ITA), the 2021 elimination world champion and multi-world championship medallist. Wollaston edged out the Italian and then the American by the tightest margins but had superior strength and speed to account for Kopecky in the final sprint to claim the world championship title. “It feels amazing. It is something that I have been hunting for quite a long time. I am blown away and a little bit lost for words at the moment,” said Wollaston. “For now, I am enjoying the experience.” The kiwi rider spoke about taking on the star-studded field today. “They (Kopecky and Valente) are two of the best riders on the track at the moment, so it was a little bit daunting. I’ve been racing them all year and I’ve been beaten by them a few times now. “You get to know the riders on the track and how each rider works . But until you cross the finish line you really never know what’s going to happen. So to win against riders like that means a lot.” It is only the sixth world title won by a New Zealand female rider on the track and the first by a women’s endurance rider since the individual pursuit victory by Alison Shanks at Melbourne in 2012. Wollaston’s victory follows the gold medal by sprinter Ellesse Andrews at the world championships in Glasgow last year, and adds to her bronze medal in the scratch race on day one. There is no rest for the New Zealand rider, who will come up against the same foes in the arduous four-discipline Omnium tomorrow (NZ time). Her teammate Bryony Botha is in action on Sunday (NZT) in the individual pursuit.

A weary NZ Breakers have been handed their first loss of the season, going down 84-73 to the Bullets in Brisbane. The Breakers showed flashes of brilliance and created plenty of chances but were unable to get their shots to drop down the stretch as it appeared tiredness from their trip to the United States took over. LATEST HEADLINES: Milestone for Henry as Black Caps dominate Silver Fern Temu recommits to NSW Swifts Wollaston starts championships with medal Britannia back in America's Cup contention Injuries bring changes to All Blacks squad Co-captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright put in another impressive performance with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists, keeping his side within striking distance throughout the entire match. Sam Mennenga had a productive night, contributing 15 points shooting 7-of-13 from the field and battling hard on defence with five rebounds. The game remained tight going into the fourth quarter, with Brisbane pulling away in the final minutes led by James Batemon who finished with a game-high 21 points. Three other players made it to double figures for the Bullets, Josh Bannan with 15, Casey Prather, 13 and New Zealander Tyrell Harrison also 13. Head coach Petteri Koponen said his side were disappointed with the result but know the areas they need to improve. “We had our chances to win this game. We created quality looks and the effort was there,” he said. “Sometimes it felt we were just a step too slow to react but it’s basketball and sometimes that happens. Full credit to Brisbane they were better today and deserved to win. “We play again on Saturday against a very good team Perth. These guys all want to compete and get ready for the next game – I know playing in front of our home fans will give us a lot of energy so we look forward to that.” The Breakers are back in action this Saturday night on their home court at Spark Arena in Auckland against Perth Wildcats. Brisbane Bullets 84 (James Batemon 21, Josh Bannan 15, Casey Prather, 13 Tyrell Harrison 13), NZ Breakers 73 (Parker Jackson-Cartwright 20, Sam Mennenga 15, Matt Mooney 13, Mojave King 11)

The defending champion Black Ferns have drawn Ireland at next year's Women’s Rugby World Cup, a side who claimed a 29-27 victory over New Zealand last month at the WXV1. Ireland also beat the Black Ferns in pool play at the 2014 WRWC but did not qualify for New Zealand in 2022. LATEST HEADLINES: Wollaston claims elimination race gold Weary Breakers handed first loss of season Milestone for Henry as Black Caps dominate Silver Fern Temu recommits to NSW Swifts Wollaston starts championships with medal The Black Ferns have Japan and Spain as the other nations in pool C. Japan finished bottom of the table in the WXV2 tournament, while Spain were top of the WXV3 division. Home favourites England will face Australia, the United States and Samoa in pool A. Pool B features Canada, who were beaten finalists in WXV1 tournament, along with Scotland, Wales and Fiji. France, Italy, South Africa and Brazil make up pool D. The Women’s RWC will be played in England from August 22-September 27.

Pace bowler Matt Henry has become the 15th New Zealander to take 100 test wickets on a day that all went the Black Caps' way. Henry took 5-15 from 13.2 overs as New Zealand dismissed India for just 46, their lowest total on home soil, on day two of the first test at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday. LATEST HEADLINES: Silver Fern Temu recommits to NSW Swifts Wollaston starts championships with medal Britannia back in America's Cup contention Injuries bring changes to All Blacks squad Phoenix Karaka back in Silver Ferns squad Thanks to opener Devon Conway's 91, the Black Caps were in a dominant position at stumps at 180-3, with an overall lead of 134 runs with seven wickets remaining. Rachin Ravindra (22 not out) and Daryl Mitchell (14 not out) will resume on day three. After day one was rained out, Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat, something the Black Caps were expected to also do, and the decision immediately back-fired, with the ball getting significant movement. Sharma was the first to go, bowled by Tim Southee, and was quickly followed to the pavilion Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan as India 10-3 after 10 overs. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant dug in for another 10 overs, but when Jaiswal (13 from 63) became Will O'Rourke's second victim, it brought about a pre-lunch collapse. O'Rourke dismissed KL Rahul in his next over, then Henry removed Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin with the last two balls before the break as the hosts went from 31-3 to 34-7 in three overs. Pant survived Henry's hat-trick ball but two deliveries later was gone, edging one to new captain Tom Latham in the slips, top-scoring with 20 from 49. Kuldeep Yadav became Henry's 100th scalp, for his fourth test five-wicket bag, as India were dismissed in 31.2 overs for their third-lowest total and the lowest first innings total in test history for a team winning the toss and opting to bat. O'Rourke was almost as impressive, finishing with figures of 4-22 from 12 overs. In reply, Conway and Latham (15 from 49) put on 67 runs for the first wicket before Conway and Will Young (33 from 73) added another 75 for the second wicket. The pair were dismissed in quick succession, before Ravindra and Mitchell settled in before stumps. Conway fell nine runs short of his fifth test century in just 105 balls, including 11 fours and three sixes. BLACK CAPS 100 TEST WICKET CLUB Richard Hadlee 431 Tim Southee 383* Daniel Vettori 361 Trent Boult 317 Neil Wagner 260 Chris Martin 233 Chris Cairns 218 Danny Morrison 160 Lance Cairns 130 Ewen Chatfield 123 Richard Collinge 116 Bruce Taylor 111 John Bracewell 102 Dick Motz 100 Matt Henry 100*

Central Districts left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox is set to lead the association for the Ford Trophy campaign for the first time this season. The 29-year-old from Hawke’s Bay takes over the role from 2023-24 captain Dane Cleaver, and says recent one-day skippers Cleaver and Tom Bruce will continue to provide sound advice as he grows into the role. LATEST HEADLINES: Silver Fern recommits to NSW Swifts Day one rained off between NZ and India Wollaston starts championships with medal Britannia back into America's Cup Heartland XV named for two matches “I want to extract as much knowledge as I can out of our senior players — including Blair Tickner as a leader of our bowling group,” said Lennox. “There’s no better way to learn than with mentoring from players who have a lot of experience in the area, and I’m really excited to be offered this chance to develop my leadership skills." Head coach Glenn Pocknall felt it was an ideal time to develop a new leader and voice within the squad, and rang Lennox during the preseason with the proposal. “It was a phone call that took me by surprise,” Lennox recounts, “but after a good conversation, and having a little bit of time to think about it, I realised it was a golden opportunity for me to learn and grow, both as a leader and a person.” In recent years, Lennox has captained Central Districts A; his club side Napier Tech; and occasionally Hawke Cup holders Hawke’s Bay when regular skipper (now CD teammate) Angus Schaw was unavailable. Lennox describes his captaincy style as ‘calm’. “I think by keeping a relatively relaxed environment around you, that calmness rubs off on other people,” he said. “It’s a good state of mind for cricket — and for bowling, particularly.” Central Districts high performance manager Dave Meiring said Lennox has been shaping as a future captain for some time. “He has all the personal qualities, and the cricket brain has certainly always been there — he has led our (Central Districts) scouting for the last couple of years, and enjoys the tactical side of cricket. “When we gave him some opportunities to lead CD A, we were really impressed by how he led on the park, what he did off the park, and the way he can speak to a group. “Jayden’s the kind of person who leads not just through his words, but his actions. “We think he has all the traits to grow into The Ford Trophy captaincy this season, with the potential to become a captain in the other formats, as well.” Central Districts' next Plunket Shield captain is yet to be confirmed. The previous incumbent, Greg Hay, retired at the end of last summer as the team’s most successful and most capped first-class captain in their 74-year history. “We have two different head coaches [Glenn Pocknall and Ben F. Smith] across the Plunket Shield and the Super Smash who are at the forefront of making those leadership decisions,” said Meiring. “For now, we are focusing solely on The Ford Trophy, with five rounds coming up before we switch to the red-ball Plunket Shield and then Super Smash. “We’ll look at the other campaigns and discuss what that might look like when the time is right.” The Ford Trophy opens this summer's fresh-look domestic schedule, with Central getting underway at home on Sunday at New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park against the Auckland Aces, followed by a midweek Wednesday game against Northern Districts at the same venue. “It’s a competition that holds a special place in my heart,” said Lennox who won the 2023 national title in this format with (Central). “It was the format in which I first started my journey with CD, and it was the first trophy I won with the team.” With a number of fresher faces on the Central's contracted roster this season, Lennox thought it was the perfect time for his team to be kicking off a season with the one-day game. “First-class cricket is quite unforgiving, so us playing the 50-over format is a good way to build up to that, with a little bit of a changing of the guard. “I think it’s exciting.” Central host Auckland at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park on Sunday.

Former Silver Fern Elle Temu will remain at the NSW Swifts next year after re-signing as a training partner for the 2025 Super Netball season. She initially joined the Swifts earlier this year as a Training Partner before making five Super Netball appearances as a Temporary Replacement Player for the injured Teigan O’Shannassy. LATEST HEADLINES: Day one rained off between NZ and India Wollaston starts championships with medal Britannia back into America's Cup Heartland XV named for two matches Injuries bring changes to All Blacks squad Prior to crossing the Tasman, the 26-year-old circle defender okayed in New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership recently for the Northern Stars and earned four Test caps for the Silver Ferns. “It was an honour to play for the Swifts last year and they have really helped make me feel at home since arriving in Sydney,” she said. “While last season didn’t go as planned for the Club, it was still a wonderful experience to be part of the group. I am delighted to have the opportunity to help them rebound in 2025. “When you make a big move, you need a strong support network around you and the Swifts - as well as my teammates in the QBE Swifts Academy side and the Magic in the Netball NSW Premier League – have been wonderful. “I want to thank Briony (Akle, Swifts Head Coach) and everyone at the Swifts for this opportunity in 2025 and can’t wait to get started.” Akle said he was very impressed by Temu’s work ethic and attitude since joining the Swifts. “Elle did a wonderful job for us when called upon last year and proved why she is a very respected competitor in the netball world. “Knowing that you have an international-level player to call upon if needed is a real comfort, especially given our squad sizes are so small, and all of our Training Partners play a huge role when it comes to our successes. “Not only that, it is a real benefit for some of our younger Training Partners to have a leader like Elle in their group. She has played at the highest level of the game and proven herself, so I also see her as a mentor as well as a brilliant defender.” Playing in the Australian competition means Temu is not eligible for the Silver Ferns.

The opening day of the first test between India and the Black Caps was called off without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain. And the bad weather could continue across all five days in the south Indian city of Bengaluru. LATEST HEADLINES: Wollaston starts championships with medal Britannia back into America's Cup Heartland XV named for two matches Injuries bring changes to All Blacks squad Karaka back in Silver Ferns for Australia series The umpires inspected the surface at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium shortly before tea and decided that no play would be possible. It was another frustrating day for the touring side, whose Asian tour began with a one-off test against Afghanistan abandoned due to rain in Greater Noida last month. The current series, which also features matches in Pune and Mumbai, is part of the World Test Championship. India are eyeing a big win over the 2021 champions to improve their chances of making a third consecutive final next year. New Zealand are without batting mainstay Kane Williamson for the opening match due to a groin injury sustained during the 2-0 series defeat in Sri Lanka. Pace bowler Ben Sears was ruled out of the series with a knee injury. The match marks Tom Latham's first assignment as the new permanent captain of the Black Caps after he took over from Tim Southee this month.

Paris Olympics double medallist Ally Wollaston has made medal-winning start to her campaign at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Denmark. The 23-year-old has made a quick transition from her professional road race duties to claim the bronze medal in the women’s 10km scratch race on the opening day of the championships at the Ballerup Arena in Copenhagen. LATEST HEADLINES: Britannia back into America's Cup Heartland XV named for two matches Injuries bring changes to All Blacks squad Karaka back in Silver Ferns for Australia series Ben Sears out injured for India test series Wollaston, who has just completed her season with the AG-Insurance-Soudal road cycling team, made the quick transition back to the track for a busy schedule this week, set to compete in four events at the championships. The Waikato professional began strongly, forced to help ride down a break in the back, and then ensuring she stayed near the front of the pack. Wollaston moved forward over the closing laps, with European road race champion Lorena Wiebes (NED) claiming the sprint ahead of multi-world champion Jennifer Valente (USA) with Wollaston sprinting clear of the pack to claim third. The leaders averaged just a tick under 50kph for the 40-lap contest. “Getting third in my first race is a great start. I’ve not been on the track since the Olympics so I am, really happy with my performance today,” said Wollaston. “I am feeling super-fit from the road and I think it carries over quite nicely. It is definitely different to my build-up for the Olympics but an interesting project to try out with a different lead-in. “It was the first time I have ridden a stand-alone scratch race. I have done it as part of the omnium for the last two or three years and it was quite a different dynamic and exciting to be part of. I probably did not time my sprint perfectly but I have some more opportunities throughout the week.” Wollaston competes in the Elimination race, followed by the four-discipline Omnium on Saturday (NZ time) and Points race on Monday while teammate Bryony Botha contests the Individual Pursuit on Sunday.

Britannia has stormed back into contention winning two races to fight back in the America's Cup in Barcelona. New Zealand, now leads 4-2 in the first to seven series but was forced into mistakes in both pre-starts and effectively lost the races as a result. LATEST HEADLINES: Heartland XV named for two matches Injuries bring changes to All Blacks squad Karaka back in Silver Ferns for Australia series Ben Sears out injured for India test series Taranaki Rugby confirm Fastier new CEO The New Zealanders fell off their foils in the first race and went on to lose by a minute and 18 seconds. Britannia was safe at every and led by over two minutes early on at the top gate as they dominated their opponents. Again the British got the edge in the start of the second race and held on to win by seven seconds. Britannia led around the first mark and were able to stay ahead in all of the eight legs, hitting speeds of more than 35 knots as they navigated a churned-up sea, holding off a late New Zealand challenge for the win. Sir Ben Ainslie and his crew were also able to get the better of the New Zealand team skippered by Peter Burling at the start of the first race as the Kiwis came off their foils, while the British stayed up and foiling. Britain crossed the start line to leave New Zealand in their wake and disappeared up the course. By the time New Zealand were able to get back on their foils Ainslie's crew just needed to make sure they sailed cleanly to capitalise on the advantage. Ainslie's crew kept their cool to notch up their first morale-boosting victory in a long quest to win the "Auld Mug", which Britain have never won in the race's 173-year-history.

The New Zealand Heartland XV has been named, featuring fresh faces and a former All Black in the mix. Former All Black and Māori All Black Hika Elliot will add another black jersey to his collection after an impressive season with South Canterbury. LATEST HEADLINES: Injuries bring changes to All Blacks squad Karaka back in Silver Ferns for Australia series Ben Sears out injured for India test series Taranaki Rugby confirm Fastier new CEO Christchurch league double-header sells out Elliot played four matches for the All Blacks at hooker between 2010-15. He is one of 15 potential debutants named in the 25-man squad, selected by coaches Nigel Walsh and Miah Nikora. A combination of retirements, injuries and break-through performances have resulted in the high number of new faces. “We’ve had people watching across the Heartland competition and these 15 debutants all played very well throughout the season and deserve the opportunity to put a silver fern on their chest,” said Walsh. Speaking of Elliot, Walsh said it will add a lot to the Heartland XV environment. “He’s excited to be part of this squad. He brings leadership on and off the field and knows what it means to wear the black jersey. I know he’ll do whatever he can to help the squad but at the same time, will just be one of the boys.” Elliot will be one of many leaders in the side, including Willie Wright, in his seventh Heartland XV campaign, his fellow South Canterbury co-captain Tokoma’ata Fakatava and Thames Valley Captain Matty Axtens. With a short lead in to the first match, Walsh said the focus will be to connect quickly. “We want to do ourselves and all the Heartland Unions proud – we represent all of them. It will be challenging with so many new players but they are an exciting bunch so we welcome the work we need to do and hopefully will play some exciting rugby,” said Walsh. Nine of the selected players will vie for the Meads Cup this weekend, with Thames Valley (six) and Mid Canterbury (three), among the seven Heartland Unions represented in the squad. The squad assembles next week for a two-match series in Whanganui against a New Zealand Māori Selection on October 29, followed by the New Zealand Barbarians on November 2. The New Zealand Heartland XV team is (* denotes potential debut) ; Anthony Amato (South Canterbury)* Matty Axtens (Thames Valley) * Quinn Collard (Thames Valley) * Toddy Doolan (Thames Valley) Hika Elliot (South Canterbury) * Sione Etoni (Thames Valley) * Oneone Faafou (Thames Valley) * Tokoma’ata Fakatava (South Canterbury) Paula Fifita (South Canterbury) Kaleb Foote (King Country) Kristian Gent-Standen (King Country) * Poleka Itielu (Horowhenua-Kapiti) * Finlay Joyce (South Canterbury) Siu Kakala (South Canterbury) * Te Huia Kutia (Thames Valley) Peceli Malanicagi  (Whanganui) Declan McCormack (Mid Canterbury) * Clarence Moli (South Canterbury) * Ethan Robinson (Whanganui) * Tyler Rogers Holden (Whanganui)* Raitube Vasurakuta (Mid Canterbury) Logan Wakefield (Wairarapa Bush) * Dallas Wiki (Horowhenua-Kapiti) * Adam Williamson (Mid Canterbury) William Wright (South Canterbury) Head Coach – Nigel Walsh (South Canterbury) Assistant Coach – Miah Nikora (Poverty Bay) Observer Coaches – Aleni Feagaiga (Horowhenua-Kapiti) & David Harrison (Thames Valley)   Manager – Tommy Zimmerman (Horowhenua-Kapiti) Physio – Geoff Thompson (South Canterbury) Trainer – Slade King (Rotorua)

Black Caps pace bowler Ben Sears has been ruled out of the test series against India with a knee injury.. Sears experienced pain in his left knee while training during the recent test series in Sri Lanka and underwent scans on his return to New Zealand. LATEST HEADLINES: Taranaki Rugby confirm Fastier new CEO Christchurch league double-header sells out New Zealand win again in America's Cup White Ferns into T20 World Cup semis Strong All Whites win over Malaysia Scans revealed a tear to his meniscus and on medical advice the 26-year-old will not travel to India. Otago Volts bowler Jacob Duffy has been called into the side as Sears' replacement but will not arrive in time for the start of the first test. Duffy has featured in six ODIs and 14 T20Is for New Zealand and currently has 299 first-class wickets to his name. Black Caps head coach Gary Stead said he was hopeful Sears would make a fast recovery. "We're obviously disappointed for Ben who made a strong start to his test career during the home summer and offers a genuine pace option," he said. "It remains to be seen how long we'll be without him for, but we're hopeful his road to a full recovery will be a short one." Stead said Duffy was a chance to make his test debut during the three-test series. Selecting players at a time when no domestic cricket was being played in New Zealand could be challenging, said Stead. "Jacob's recent experience playing for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship certainly pushed his place. His performances in white-ball cricket for the Black Caps have always been impressive and we're confident he'll be able to contribute if called upon." Sears' unavailability gives former captain Tim Southee a better chance of being selected for the test - the first of which will be played since he stepped down from the skipper role. The test series against India begins on Wednesday evening at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The Silver Ferns have confirmed their team for the New Zealand leg of the Constellation Cup, against Australia. . The team will be led by captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio, and is joined by the experienced defender Phoenix Karaka, who makes her return to the side after missing the recent Taini Jamison Trophy series due to illness. LATEST HEADLINES: Ben Sears out injured for India test series Taranaki Rugby confirm Fastier new CEO Christchurch league double-header sells out New Zealand win again in America's Cup White Ferns into T20 World Cup semis Whitney Souness the 44-test veteran has been left out of the squad while Parris Mason is subject to recovering from injury. Silver Ferns head coach Dame Noeline Taurua was pleased to welcome Karaka back into the side. "Phoenix’s return is a massive boost for us. She brings leadership and strength to our defensive end, and her experience will be crucial as we prepare to face Australia,” she said. The Constellation Cup begins on Sunday, 20th October, at TSB Stadium in Wellington, followed by matches in Auckland, Perth, and Melbourne. In the lead-up to the series, the Silver Ferns will also train against a NZA side, coached by Mary-Jane Araroa, with Anna Andrews-Tasola as coach support. The NZA team consists of 13 players from the Silver Ferns and Silver Fern Development Squads who will play training matches in Wellington against both the Silver Ferns and the New Zealand Men's team as part of their respective Cadbury Netball Series preparations. Silver Ferns: Karin Burger Ameliaranne Ekenasio Maddy Gordon Kate Heffernan Kelly Jackson Phoenix Karaka Parris Mason * subject to medical clearance Erena Mikaere Grace Nweke Claire O’Brien Kimiora Poi Amelia Walmsley Maia Wilson NZA Team: Whitney Souness Kate Burley Carys Stythe Catherine Hall Michaela Sokolich-Beatson Paris Lokotui Peta Toeava Georgie Edgecombe Tayla Earle Tiana Metuarau Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (non-playing while she rehabilitates from her ACL injury) Martina Salmon Saviour Tui Constellation Cup Event Dates: Sunday, 20 October – TSB Stadium, Wellington Wednesday, 23 October – Spark Arena, Auckland Sunday, 27 October – RAC Arena, Perth Wednesday, 30 October – John Cain Arena, Melbourne