Search Results

Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko has rocketed up the leaderboard at the LPGA Tour's Ford Championship on Friday (Saturday NZ Time). Ko fired a bogey-free eight-under 64 in the second round at the Seville Country Club in Gilbert, Arizona, moving from a share of 52nd into a tie for sixth at 11-under, three strokes behind the leader, Australian Hannah Green. Following a three-under 69 in the opening round on Thursday (Friday NZT), the 26-year-old made birdies at the 10th, 12th and 18th holes to make the turn at six-under after starting on the back-nine. After another birdie at the second, Ko made back-to-back tweeters at the fourth and five, and seventh and eighth holes to jump into the top-10. The world No 8 was almost perfect during the second round, hitting 14-of-14 fairways and 15-of-18 greens in regulation, requiring just 25 putts. She averaged 263 yards off the tee. Ko will tee it up in the third round on Saturday (Sunday NZT) alongside German Caroline Masson at 12.50pm local time (8.50am NZT). Meanwhile, on the PGA Tour Champions, Kiwi Steven Alker is in a three-way tie for the lead after the first round of The Galleri Classic. Alker is level with South African Retief Goosen and German Alex Cejka after firing a bogey-free six-under 66 on Friday (Saturday NZT) at the Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs, California. The 52-year-old made birdies at the first, fourth, ninth, 11th, 15th and 16th holes as he chases his second victory of the season in the over-50s tour. He went 14-of-14 on fairways and 15-of-18 for greens in regulation. Alker tees off in the second round at 1.11pm local time on Saturday (9.11am Sunday NZT), with the co-leaders. On the PGA Tour, Ryan Fox has work to do at the Houston Open, despite an even-par 70 in the second round on Friday (Saturday NZT). Fox produced four birdies and four bogeys at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas, managing to move up six spots to a share of 55th at one-over, 10 shots behind the leader, American Tony Finau. The world No 47, who made four birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey in round one, hit just 4-of-13 fairways and 11-of-18 greens in regulation. Fox just survived on the cut-line, with birdies at the 15th and 16th briefly getting him into red numbers. He will start his third round, alongside Australian Aaron Baddeley and American Sam Stevens, on Saturday at 12.10pm local time (6.10am Sunday NZT). No Kiwis made the cut at the DP World Tour's Indian Open, with Daniel Hillier withdrawing with one hole remaining in his second round on Friday. Hillier was at two-over, three shots below the cut-line with an even-par round going when he left the course. He made three birdies, a bogey and two double-bogeys in his two-over 74 in the first round at the DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi, India. New professional Kazuma Kobori made five birdies and four bogeys in a one-under 71 in the second round but it was not enough to overcome his six-over 78 on Thursday, finishing at five-over. Sam Jones finished at six-over following a two-over 74 on Friday, which featured two birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey. He had three birdies, five bogeys and a double-bogey in a four-over 76 on Thursday.

The Otago Nuggets and Taranaki Airs have opened their National Basketball League (NBL) seasons with hard-fought wins. The Nuggets protected their home-court advantage in Dunedin with a thrilling 86-79 overtime victory over the Southland Sharks, while the Airs held off the Manawatu Jets 83-78 in Palmerston North on Saturday. After Nuggets forward Matt Bardsley (17 points) tied proceedings at 76-76 with just five seconds remaining to force overtime, the Sharks were outscored 10-3 in the extra period to lose a contest they looked destined to win in regulation. Callum McRae (12 points and 13 rebounds) put the Southlanders five points ahead with 90 seconds to play, only for Jack Andrew and Bardsley to pull the hosts level, Andrew nailing a corner three as the shot clock expired and 60 seconds later Bardsley’s driving layup levelling the scores. Andrew and import Kimani Lawrence each scored 18 points but it was their crucial four points each in overtime that sealed the win for the 2022 champions. The Nuggets scored the first seven points of the game before Alonzo Burton (12 points) got the Sharks on the board. However, with Lawrence and Ben Henshall (21 points) prominent, the home team was quickly out to a double-figure lead. Marcale Lotts (14 points and 13 rebounds) and Callum McRae responded for the Sharks before Bardsley brought the curtain down on the first quarter scoring with a neat baseline move, putting the Nuggets ahead 26-18. Bardsley was again to the fore in the second with a pair of steals leading to breakaway layups, although a couple of triples from Ben Hall ensured the Sharks remained in touching distance at the interval, trailing 46-38. To the delight of the sizeable group of travelling Sharks fans, the Nuggets' eight-point advantage was whittled down to one following a Lotts dunk. McRae then tied proceedings, forcing Nuggets coach Brent Matehaere to call a timeout. Henshall responded with five points but the battalion of the Orange Army were smiling at the last break, with the Sharks 63-58 ahead. Those smiles were broad when McRae put them 76-71 ahead with 98 seconds to play but turned to frowns as Bardsley, Andrew and Lawrence thrilled the Edgar Centre faithful over the closing minutes. The Nuggets will welcome back the exciting guard duo of Tai Webster and Dante Russo-Nance in the near future, potentially before their Week 2 game at home against the Manawatu Jets on Friday night (tip-off 7.30pm). The Sharks host the Jets on Wednesday night in Invercargill (tip-off 7.30pm). Both the Airs and Jets were heavily dependent on their star bigs and the big fellas delivered as a see-saw battle in the post eventually fell in the favour of Sam Froling, only just, over over Tall Blacks forward Tyrell Harrison. Froling finished with 29 points (13/21 FG) and 14 rebounds, while Harrison had a monster double-double with 16 points (8/11 FG) and 24 boards. The first quarter began with Harrison and Froling trading baskets, but it was not just the bigs delivering, as imports Elijah Minnie and Mustapha Heron traded threes early as both teams felt each other out. The threes kept flowing as Liam Judd hit another before attacking the rim for five straight points on his way to a career- and team-high 23 points (6/15 FG, 3/9 3pt, 8/10 FT) and six rebounds. But things took a sudden turn for the Jets when import point guard Jasper Rentoy went down with a knee injury that kept him out for the remainder of the game. The second quarter started as the game did, with Harrison finding space inside, before Heron and Minnie traded highlight reel dunks that got the crowd to their feet. The Airs turned the screws defensively, holding the Jets without a point for more than seven minutes as Mitch McCarron imprinted himself on the game with no-look passes that got the Airs offense flowing. Judd responded with a spectacular layup to reach 12 points for the half, before Froling again found some space to reach 13 points and nine boards, before Simon Lafaele hit a layup just before halftime to cut Taranaki's lead to eight. After the break, the Airs came out strong as the lead again reached 12 points, before Judd again inserted himself into the action to with a three-pointer, followed by a three-point play that cut the lead to two. But Froling was not to be denied, hitting back-to-back buckets to give the Airs a five-point lead heading into the final term. The fourth started slowly but then Heron scored eight straight points to give the Jets their first lead of the second half with just over seven minutes to play. New recruit Derone Raukawa hit back-to-back buckets to retake a two-point lead, bedore Minnie again again connected from deep to tie the game at 75-75 with under two minutes to play. Heron responded with free throws before Minnie finished a skying baseline dunk with a foul to grab a two-point lead. The Jets peppered the rim with three-point attempts that failed to hit the mark before Judd grabbed an offensive board and got fouled to head to the line with a chance to tie the game with 21 seconds remaining. Judd only hit one of two, cutting the lead to one and all the remaining scoring was done by the Airs, wrapping up coach Sam Mackinnon’s first NBL win. Otago Nuggets 86 (Ben Henshall 21, Kimani Lawrence 18, Jack Andrew 18, Matthew Bardsley 17) Southland Sharks 79 (Josh Turner 16, Marcale Lotts 14, LaGerald Vick 14, Alonzo Burton 12, Callum McRae 12). 1Q: 26-18, HT: 46-38, 3Q: 58-63, 4Q: 76-76 Taranaki Airs 83 (Sam Froling 29, Elijah Minnie 24, Mitch McCarron 11) Manawatu Jets 78 (Liam Judd 23, Mustapha Heron 21, Tyrell Harrison 16, Campbell Scott 10). 1Q: 20-21, HT: 43-35, 3Q: 60-55

The defending Super Rugby Pacific champion Crusaders have ended their franchise-worst losing streak at five matches. A double from wing Johnny McNicholl propelled the 14-time champions to a 37-26 win over the Chiefs at Christchurch's Apollo Projects Stadium in Round 6 on Friday night, lifting them off the bottom of the standings. Chay Fihaki, Cullen Grace and George Bell also scored tries for the Crusaders, while Emoni Narawa, George Dyer, Anton Lienert-Brown and Cortez Ratima went over for the Chiefs, who never led in the match. Fullback Fihaki won the race to a grubber-kick from Nigel Hotham in the sixth minute after the halfback made a break down the blindside from halfway. Hotham then delivered the last pass to put McNicholl in for his first, with the Crusaders leading 12-0 after just 14 minutes. The Chiefs answered through wing Emoni Narawa after 17 minutes, finishing off a 4-on-1 out wide, but No 8 Cullen Grace restore the Crusaders' advantage soon after. Prop George Dyer scored in the 34th minute, making it a one possession game after Josh Jacomb made a clean line-break, but Riley Hohepa sent the Crusaders into halftime up 22-12. The teams exchanged tries in the second half, with prop George Bell and McNicholl scoring for the Crusaders and All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown and Cortez Ratima for the Chiefs, who only got as close as eight points. The Crusaders have the bye in Round 7 before facing the NSW Waratahs in Sydney on April 12, while the Chiefs host Moana Pasifika at Hamilton's FMG Stadium Waikato next Saturday (kick-off 7.05pm) Crusaders 37 (Johnny McNicholl 2, Chay Fihaki, Cullen Grace, George Bell tries; Riley Hohepa 2 con, pen, Reviz Reihana con, pen) Chiefs 26 (Emoni Narawa, George Dyer, Anton Lienert-Brown, Cortez Ratima tries; Josh Jacomb con, Josh Ioane 2 con). HT: 22-12

The National Basketball League's (NBL) newest team the Mid-North Whai celebrated their debut in the league in perfect fashion In front of a big crowd at Tauranga's Mercury Baypark Arena on Friday night, the Whai announced themselves as the league's 11th franchise, powering home in the second half for a 91-70 victory over the Bay Hawks. The Whai rode Tall Blacks guard Kruz Perrott-Hunt, hometown hero Jayden Bezzant and import Phil Carr in the 21-point victory. American forward Carr put up an impressive double-double in his first NBL game, finishing with a game-high 24 points (8/12 FG, 2/3 3pt, 6/11 FT), 13 rebounds and two blocks. Perrott-Hunt led the scoring in the first quarter with a 13-point explosion before finishing with 23 points (7/14 FG, 5/9 3pt, 4/4 FT), while Bezzant contributed 14 points (7/16 FG), four assists and two steals as he relished being back in a starting role after coming off the bench last season with the Franklin Bulls. The teams had a back-and-forth tussle in the first half before a dominant third quarter pushed the Whai clear. Both teams were short one import, while the Hawks' Tall Blacks star Jordan Ngatai is yet to arrive back in the country while finishing his season in Finland. Keanu Rasmussen was a shining light for the visitors, scoring a team-high 23 points (9/19 FG, 2/9 3pt) and five rebounds, while Josh Roberts had 14 points (7/11 FG) and nine boards after dealing with early foul trouble. Lucas Sutherland also managed 13 points (5/15 FG). The Whai are at home to the Auckland Tuatara next Saturday (tip-off 7.30pm), while the Hawks host the Southland Sharks next Sunday (tip-off 7.30pm). Mid-North Whai 91 (Phil Carr 24, Kruz Perrott-Hunt 23, Jayden Bezzant 14) Bay Hawks 70 (Keanu Rasmussen 23, Josh Roberts 14, Lucas Sutherland 13). 1Q: , HT: , 3Q:

Next month's round of Supercars to be held at Taupo is selling out fast, with only limited opportunities for fans to grab the last remaining tickets. Weekend tickets are gone, but fans can still book their spot to see Supercars on-track at Taupo for the very first time, with Friday tickets still available from $30 for when Supercars holds its first on-track session at the circuit. The event taking place from April 19-21 will be Supercars’ inaugural visit to Taupo and the championship’s first in New Zealand since 2022. “The uptake and interest in our first-ever event in Taupō has been incredible,” said Supercars COO Tim Watsford. "And we can now confirm that we have sold out of grandstand and general admission tickets for both Saturday and Sunday of the event. “There are still tickets available for Friday, which will be special in itself when Supercars hit the track in Taupo for the very first time. We will also hold a full-field signing session so fans can meet their favourite drivers, and all of our support categories will also be on-track in an action-packed and historic day." Alongside the Supercars Championship, the one-make Porsche Carrera Cup series will also make the trek across the Tasman, while locally-based series’ in Central Muscle Cars, the Toyota 86 Championship, and Formula Ford will also compete. Friday’s action will be wall-to-wall with on-track action from all five competing categories across the day. The event is the third of the 2024 Supercars Championship, with Toowoomba’s Will Brown leading the championship by 17 points over Triple Eight teammate Broc Feeney. Reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Richie Stanaway is the lead Kiwi in the championship, the Tauranga-native sitting sixth, ahead of 21-year old teammate and fellow countryman Matt Payne in seventh. They will be joined on the grid by fellow New Zealanders Jaxon Evans, Andre Heimgartner, and Ryan Wood, giving local fans no less than five homegrown heroes to support.

Without captain Sophie Devine and with other stars Suzie Bates and Melie Kerr not delivering with the bat, the White Ferns were no match for England. After battling to 136-5, the White Ferns fell to England by five wickets at Wellington's Basin Reserve on Friday, losing the five-match T20 series 4-1. Batting first, New Zealand lost three wickets during the power-play and accumulating a total that would not really test the tourists. However, it could have been worst if not for young wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze. Teetering at 69-5 in the 13th over, Gaze helped resurrect the innings, finishing unbeaten for a maiden half-century to become the first White Ferns batter not named Devine, Bates or Kerr to reach that milestone since 2018. With Devine sidelined with a quad strain, too much rested with the experienced duo of opener Bates and acting captain Kerr, and neither put up much batting resistance. Opener Bernadine Bezuidenhout lasted only five balls, while Kerr followed two overs later and Bates was next to fall. When Georgia Plummer departed just three balls later, The White Ferns were 31-4 and in deep trouble. Maddie Green and Brook Halliday put on 38 runs for the fifth wicket, before Green fell. Gaze had never scored 50 at any representative level, but showed her ability by ramping over the keeper three times and clearing the boundary once, as she and Halliday rescued the innings. They brought up a New Zealand record of 56 runs for the sixth wicket, before Halliday was caught for 33, her highest international T20 score. Gaze continued her assault, reverse-sweeping the final ball of the innings for her half-century - 51 off 28 balls, including six fours and a six. Lea Tahuhu removed England opener Maia Bouchier, the leading run-scorer for the series, early, while Kerr dismissed Alice Capsey and Danni Wyatt as England were 64-3 in the 10th over. But captain Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt put on 57 runs for the fourth wicket to put the total within reach. Both were dismissed, with Kerr taking another wicket to finish with 3-40 from four overs, but England's lower-order finished it off with seven balls remaining. Next up is the three-match one-day series between the two nations, starting at the Basin Reserve on Monday (first-ball 11am).

In a major boost for New Zealand rugby league, the NZ Warriors will return to the NRLW in 2025 after a five-year absence. The Australian Rugby League Commission announced on Thursday their inclusion as one of two clubs to be added to an expanded 12-team competition in 2025. While the draw is yet to be confirmed, the likely structure will include an eight-week preseason, an 11-round regular season and a two-week finals series. “It’s obviously extremely exciting, not just for our club but for women’s rugby league in New Zealand,” said Warriors CEO Cameron George. “Our fans have eagerly awaited the return of their side to the NRLW stage. We saw that excitement pre-Covid-19 and now, after plenty of work, we’re finally ready to go again.” Work behind the scenes on both the logistics and resourcing necessary to successfully re-enter the competition has been going on since the club officially returned to Go Media Stadium Mt Smart after the 2022 season. Though major appointments like a head coach and marquee players were yet to be made, George said the green light from the NRL meant the club could now make moves. "We were a big part of the competition before and we’ve been working hard to get back in ever since." George said the Warriors’ legacy in the NRLW serves as a testament to their commitment to women's rugby league and a desire to reclaim their position at the forefront of the sport. The Warriors appointed leading New Zealand rugby league administrator Nadene Conlon as the club’s NRLW academy manager more than a year ago to create a development and pathways programme ahead of a planned return to the competition. “There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make this possible,” said the former Kiwi Ferns captain. “Now we can push on and set about bringing a team together for our re-entry into the NRLW next year. “We’re delighted it has come to fruition. The number of women playing the game in New Zealand has been growing so much and now the dream of representing the Warriors is becoming a reality.” The Warriors were one of four foundation clubs alongside Brisbane, St George Illawarra and the Sydney Roosters when the NRLW was launched in 2018; they played in the competition for the first three seasons before the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact forced them to withdraw. Krystal Rota, a member of the Warriors' inaugural NRLW team, shared her excitement about the club's return. "It’s so exciting. I remember that feeling of pulling on the Warriors jumper for the first time. It was so special, it’s every kid's dream if you grow up playing rugby league in Aotearoa,” she said. Rota's journey exemplifies the significance of the NRLW in providing a pathway for local talent to shine on the international stage. Reflecting on the impact of Covid-19 on women's rugby league in New Zealand, Rota felt there was now an opportunity to lure some lost talent back home. "Covid-19 forced so much of our local talent offshore, including myself. I went to Newcastle because there was no pathway here so I have no doubt this announcement will lure some of those ladies back." The Warriors’ return to the NRLW promises to reignite the passion for the sport among players and fans alike, providing an invaluable opportunity for homegrown talent to showcase their skills in the famed Warriors strip. With further details set to be announced soon, the stage is set for the Warriors to embark on a new chapter in their NRLW journey. Also added to the competition today were the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs. The 12 teams in 2025 will be: Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla Sutherland Sharks, Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys, NZ Warriors, Parramatta Eels, St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers.

The Canterbury Rams have started their National Basketball League (NBL) title defence the perfect way. The Rams hoisted their 2023 championship banner at Christchurch's Cowles Stadium on Wednesday night, before going on to defeat the Nelson Giants 79-69 to open the league's 42nd season. Both teams went into battle minus a few stars - the Rams still awaiting the arrival of imports KJ Buffen and MJ Walker, and young Kiwi star Walter Brown, and the Giants without captain Sam Dempster and still with two import spots to fill. In front of a sell-out crowd, the Rams blew the cobwebs out with captain Taylor Britt going for a game-high 20 points (7/20 FG, 2/4 3pt, 4/7 FT) and eight assists. In his NBL debut, Australian import Lachie Olbrich (Illawarra Hawks) showed his work rate and competitiveness, proving to be a real menace every time he went near the ball, finishing with 15 points (7/10 FG) and 10 rebounds. He also provided the epic highlight of the night with an entertaining dunk in the second quarter. New Giants forward Dan Fotu dominated the opening quarter, with 12 points and proving to be more than a handful for the Rams. He ultimately led the G-Men with 18 points (6/15 FG, 5/7 FT), seven boards, two steals and two blocks. Britt dropped 10 points of his own early, the difference at quarter-time favouring the home team, 21-20. The Rams started hot in the second term, building a nine-point lead, before a quick Mike Fitchett timeout settled the Giants and they dragged back the gap as Alex McNaught (11 points) and Dan Grida (15 points) got busy, while young Aston Inwood added some spark of the bench. Down 42-36 at the half, one of the biggest concerns for the Giants was on the glass where the Rams held a decisive edge 30-17, leading to a whopping 14 second-chance points. The Rams started the second half on fire, going on a 13-2 run in the opening minutes of the third quarter to build a 17-point lead that proved too tough for the Giants to claw back. Though heading home with a loss ahead of their opening home game on Sunday against the Franklin Bulls (tip-off 6.30pm), the Giants coaching staff will have been happy with what they saw from young Nick Davidson (11 points), who also starred in the preceding Rapid League game. The only negative for the Rams was a lowly 2-of-22 shooting from beyond the arc, something they will put down to a bit of first-game rust, but a stat they will want to fix quickly ahead of a trip north to play the Bulls next week. Canterbury Rams 79 (Taylor Britt 20, Lachlan Olbrich 15, Max Darling 15) Nelson Giants 69 (Dan Fotu 18, Dan Grida 15, Alex McNaught 11, Nick Davidson 11). 1Q: 21-20, HT: 42=36, 3Q: 63-49

The unbeaten Wellington Firebirds have been crowned as the 2023-24 national first-class champions after wet weather on the final day in Hamilton prevented any further play as the deciding clash with Northern Districts ended in a draw. The Firebirds had headed into the last game with a small lead at the top of the table, and maintained a buffer after first innings points calculations, extending the long-running Northern Districts title drought in the four-day format by at least another 12 months. Otago Volt Dale Phillips finished as the season's top run-scorer after two centuries in his last two matches, with 686 runs at an average of 49.00. Phillips nudged ahead of Wellington Firebirds top-order man Gareth Severin (657 at 46.93) in his first fully contracted season, both men with two hundreds and five half-centuries from their Plunket Shield summer. Central Districts captain Greg Hay, who capped off his first-class record with the third highest score of his long career (179) in one of the CD's biggest ever first-class team totals, setting up an innings victory against the Otago Volts in Napier on Wednesday. Hay signed off as the season's third-highest run-scorer, with 643 runs at 49.46, including two centuries and three half-centuries. The result saw Central overtake Canterbury for third place, finishing just one point ahead on the table. Earlier on Wednesday, gloveman Dane Cleaver ticked off one more record for Central, breaking Kruger van Wyk's mark for most wicketkeeping dismissals in a single Plunket Shield season – a competition now with just eight rounds per season, rather than 10 as it was during van Wyk's career. Cleaver finished with 41 dismissals, helping teammate Liam Dudding along the way to a career-best five-wicket bag on the final afternoon (5-32, among Dudding's eight wickets for the match) as CD concluded their summer with victory by an innings and 40 runs at McLean Park. The leading wicket-taker for the season was NZC men's domestic player of the season Nathan Smith, the Firebirds allrounder finishing with 33 wickets from seven matches, including two bags, at a lean 17.18 average. Smith headed off Otago Volt Jacob Duffy (31 wickets from eight games at 24.41) and Northern Districts' Scott Kuggeleijn (30 wickets from just six games at 17.1).

While the NZ Warriors' big-league team enjoyed their first victory on Friday night, the club's four lower-grade teams went winless last weekend. The Warriors' SG Ball (under-19) side blew a 20-point halftime lead before almost stealing the win in a 30-30 draw with Cronulla Sutherland on Sunday, while there were losses for the club's NSW Cup (reserves), Jersey Flegg (under-21) and Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) teams. There was no joy for the Warriors’ NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup teams on a testing road trip to Canberra for their Round 3 contests in Queanbeyan on Saturday. Playing at Seiffert Oval, the Raiders’ home ground in their formative years, the competition-leading Canberra NSW Cup side stormed to a 40-4 win while the home side’s unbeaten Jersey Flegg team toppled the Warriors 44-12. In the SG Ball clash at Pukekohe's Navigation Homes Stadium, the home side conceded the first try of the match in the opening minute but then rattled off five straight tries, including a double from standoff Tallan Egan, in an outstanding first-half effort to lead 26-6. Cronulla found a way back into the battle from a seemingly futile position by scoring five unanswered tries to lead 30-26, only for the Warriors to level up with a late Augustino Filipo try. It came down to the conversion from wide out on the left but Tallan Egan was just wide. The result eliminated the Warriors from contention for the top-six playoffs ahead of their final round match against the St George Illawarra Dragons in Pukekohe on Sunday (kick-off 11.45am). The club's hopes of playing finals football in their debut season in the Harold Matthews Cup also suffered a major blow in the earlier Round 8 clash in Pukekohe on Sunday, going down 40-10 to Cronulla Sutherland. Going into the match, the Warriors were inside the top-six, level on 10 points with the Sharks and needing to win their last two matches to seal a spot in the playoffs. However, Cronulla Sutherland were in no mood for charity, scoring three converted tries in quick order to leap to an 18-0 lead before the Warriors responded with a Jeremiah Lemana try to cut the margin to 14. It did not last long, with the Sharks striking again to extend to 24-4 at halftime, 30-4 straight after the break and then 34-4 a short time later. The only respite for the home side was provided by an Isaiah Savea try. The result lifted the Sharks to 12 points, fifth on the ladder, while the Warriors slipped to seventh, with the Sea Eagles moving up to 10 points and claiming sixth place on points for and against. The Warriors must beat lowly-ranked St George Illawarra in their final match at Pukekohe on Sunday (kick-off 10am) and do so by a big margin, while the Sea Eagles would need to lose to the mid-table Central Coast Roosters or win by a modest margin. In NSW Cup action, the Raiders scored in the opening minutes against the Warriors, conceded their only try of the day to wing Edward Kosi in the 15th minute and then added three tries to lead 22-4 at halftime. The Warriors resisted for the first 25 minutes of the second half but could not add to their solitary try before the Raiders opened up again with tries in the 65th, 70th and 76th minutes to clock up a third straight convincing win. The Warriors had little possession, just 29 sets of which they completed only 17 for a 58 percent completion rate. The Raiders had 42 sets, dominating possession 58 percent to 42 percent. Fullback Setu Tu made the most metres for the Warriors, with 174, while Kosi made 149 and Moala Graham-Taufa 115. Kalani Going (129) and Tanner Stowers-Smith (100) were the only Warriors forwards to reach three figures. Going was the busiest defender, with 36 tackles, while Eddie Ieremia made 35 and Paul Roache and Maia Sands 29 each. The Warriors will relish being back at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart next weekend when they take on the Newcastle Knights in the second leg of an Easter Sunday triple-header (kick-off 3.20pm) with the Jersey Flegg match between to two clubs starting at 1.30pm and the NRL contest at 6.05pm. The Warriors’ Flegg side will be equally pleased to be at home after consecutive away games against Melbourne and Canberra. After going down 36-10 to the Storm, they had a difficult day taking on the Raiders. Canberra scored five tries in the first half to jump to a commanding 28-0 lead and extended to 38-0 in the second spell before prop Tobias Crosby scored for the Warriors. Minutes later, the Raiders were in again before the Warriors scored the last try of the match through loose forward Ieti Samuelu, rounding out a half in which the score was just 16-10 in Canberra's favour.

The NZ Warriors have named their strongest side of the season so far, with frontline players Dylan Walker, Marata Niukore and Wayde Egan all set to return from injury. The veteran trio were named on Tuesday in the Warriors lineup for Sunday’s Round 4 NRL clash against the Newcastle Knights at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart (kick-off 6.05pm). Utility Walker is back on the interchange after missing the 18-10 win over Canberra with an ankle complaint, while hooker Egan is set for his second appearance of the season after being forced out of the last two matches with an elbow injury picked up in Round 1. Niukore’s only outing this year was the second Preseason Challenge match against the Redcliffe Dolphins on February 24 in which he suffered a minor foot fracture, keeping him out of the first three rounds. He has been brought onto the bench alongside Walker, hooker Freddy Lussick and prop Bunty Afoa as the Warriors seek their second win of the campaign. With Egan, Niukore and Walker included in the playing 17, middle forwards Tom Ale and Jazz Tevaga plus utility Chanel Harris-Tavita move onto the extended bench. The return of the experienced trio means fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is the only first-choice player yet to come back into the lineup. It is anticipated he will be fit for his first game of the season when the Warriors face South Sydney at Accor Stadium on April 6. There are two other changes to the starting combination brought about by fullback Taine Tuaupiki’s unavailability due to concussion. In his absence, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is named to start at fullback, with the Adam Pompey coming into the centres for his first game of the season after playing every minute of the club’s 27 games last year. After his match-sealing try against the Raiders, Tuivasa-Sheck is named in the No 1 jersey for the first time since the Warriors’ excruciating 19-18 golden point loss to St George Illawarra at Central Coast Stadium on July 2, 2021. Sunday’s match will move him within one game of his 200th career appearance, set to be achieved in the Round 5 clash against the Rabbitohs. The Warriors go into Sunday’s contest not only bolstered by their three reinforcements returning but also by their first victory of the season in a grafting 18-10 success against the Raiders last Friday night. The Knights’ confidence has also been boosted after holding out the Melbourne Storm 14-12 for their first win of the year on Sunday. This will be the 50th meeting between the two sides with the record dead even at 24 wins each, plus a draw. At home, the Warriors have a 16-11 record, with an 18-18 draw in 2000. NZ WARRIORS: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Rocco Berry, Adam Pompey, Marcelo Montoya, Luke Metcalf, Shaun Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan, Mitchell Barnett, Jackson Ford, Kurt Capewell, Tohu Harris. Interchange: Freddy Lussick, Marata Niukore, Bunty Afoa, Dylan Walker. Reserves: Tom Ale, Jazz Tevaga, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Te Maire Martin, Ali Leiataua

The White Ferns have slumped to a T20 series defeat to England, after losing captain Sophie Devine to injury in the field. Without Devine, New Zealand's run-chase started on the back foot and never got going, finishing 130-7 in reply to England's 177-3 in the fourth match at Wellington's Basin Reserve on Wednesday. After winning the toss and putting the tourists into bat, the White Ferns had no answer to opener Maia Bouchier, who continued her fine form with 91 runs off 56 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes. Their hopes sufffered a major blow, when Devine limped off with a quad injury, relegating her to the bottom of the batting order and putting her participation in Friday's series finale at the same venue in doubt. Against a depleted bowling attack, England put up 105 runs over their final 10 overs and 65 over the final five to set a formidable target. New Zealand's daunting chase of almost nine runs an over got off to the worst possible start, with Suzie Bates offering a simple catch in the second over. Fellow opener Bernadine Bezuidenhout (23), Melie Kerr (21) and Brooke Halliday (25) all made starts, but could not anchor the innings. With regular wickets falling, New Zealand ended 47 runs short. England 177-3 (Maia Bouchier 91, Nat Sciver-Brunt 29 not out) beat White Ferns 130-7 (Brooke Halliday 25, Bernadine Bezuidenhout 23, Melie Kerr 21) England win by 47 runs, lead series 3-1