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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

The All Whites have drawn with Tunisia in Cairo in the second match of their FIFA Series, before being defeated on penalties to finish fourth in the ACUD Cup. Head coach Darren Bazeley made four changes to the side that was narrowly defeated by Egypt in the opening game of the tournament. In defence, Tommy Smith earned his 52nd cap, replacing Nando Pijnaker at centre-back, while Reading’s 19-year-old defender Tyler Bindon replaced Dane Ingham at right-back. In midfield, Wellington Phoenix captain Alex Rufer came in for Clayton Lewis and clubmate Kosta Barbarouses replaced Max Mata up front. The All Whites started strongly against the world No 41 and had the ball in the net in the ninth minute. A clever free-kick created space for Liberato Cacace to fire in a long-range effort, his shot rebounded to Michael Boxall, who crossed for Barbarouses to score but it was ruled out for offside. Minutes later, two further chances fell to the All Whites, with Tommy Smith going close from a corner and Callum McCowatt flashing a cross across the box but it could not find a black shirt. The All Whites pressure continued to build in the 25th minute when Sarpreet Singh won and then took a free-kick from just outside the box to hit the side netting. It was not until the 27th minute that Tunisia had their first real chance of the game with a ball cut back to Rafia but he fired wide past the post. As the clock ticked past the half-hour mark, the All Whites had a golden opportunity to open their account after being awarded a penalty following Barbarbouses being fouled in the box. Sarpreet Singh stepped up to take the shot but it was well-saved by the Tunisian keeper. Moments later, the All Whites were awarded a second penalty before VAR intervened to reverse the decision and keep it goalless at the break. The second half continued how the first ended, with the All Whites dominating possession and creating the better of the chances. In the 64th minute, it was another great chance for the All Whites after Singh’s flick found Matt Garbett close to goal but the Tunisia keeper again denied him. The chance caused a reaction from the African side, who responded with two opportunities of their own. A 66th-minute Tunisian free-kick from the edge of the D looked dangerous but sailed over Max Crocombe’s net. Two minutes later, Tunisia had another chance, with Kachrida firing wide after a rapid counter-attack. With it goalless after 90 minutes, the game ended in a draw but Tunisia claimed third at the tournament after converted all four of their spot kicks. New Zealand 0 Tunisia 0. Tunisia won the penalty shootout 4-2

Auckland United have made history, winning their first OFC Women’s Champions League after beating Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United 1-0 in the final in Honiara. Bree Johnson’s strike after 25 minutes was the difference, as the New Zealand champions held on to ensure they will return home with the trophy. The two sides looked to impose themselves on one another early on. Hekari United keen to go one better than last year when they finished runners-up to AS Academy Féminine, while Auckland United were vying to become the first-ever New Zealand winners. United had an early chance gifted to them through a failed clearance in the fourth minute. The ball rebounded off Bree Johnson’s shins, and Rene Wasi was the fastest to react to the loose ball. However, no one could take advantage of her low ball across the six-yard box. Just before the half-hour mark, Auckland United found what would prove to be the decisive breakthrough. Wasi’s cross from deep ricocheted into Johnson’s path, and the forward’s pace allowed her to nick the ball past the onrushing Fidelma Watpore, allowing a comfortable side-footed finish into the unguarded net. Down by one, but certainly not out, Hekari United came close to an equaliser through a sustained period of pressure. Initiated by captain Marie Kaipu just after the cooling break, the Papua New Guinea international striker was closed down quickly by an attentive Auckland defence packing out the box, and her teammates were unable to find a way through. Moments later, the Papua New Guinea champions came close again, with Phylis Pala’s looping cross batted away by Amberley Hollis, all too aware of the lurking Kaipu. The resultant corner struck the upright, causing chaos in the box but Auckland were able to eventually clear their lines and survive. The Kiwi champions thought they had a second through the combination of Johnson and Wasi again, with the latter winning possession in midfield and taking off down the right flank. Her inch-perfect ball was latched onto by Johnson, who was flagged offside in a close call. Captain Talisha Green kept Michaelyne Butubu quiet to the extent that Hekari’s mercurial forward switched to wingback in the second half to escape her attention, with second-half substitute Nenny Elipas replacing her up front. Despite the early flurry from Hekari, Auckland United began to assert control over the game, again with their youngsters at the heart of things. Influential substitute Pia Vlok was a constant threat — picking the ball up in the middle of the park and releasing Alexis Cook who subsequently played in Danielle Canham, though the midfielder’s volley was hit right at Watpore. The minutes ticking down, Auckland United were excellent in their ability to manage the game and held off Hekari United strongly, limiting the threat on Hollis’ goal. The Aucklanders were jubilant at the final whistle — a trophy and their own place in Oceania’s football history. The player of the match award went to Auckland United’s Alaina Granger. Auckland United swept three of the four tournament awards, including being awarded the Fair Play Award for their excellent disciplinary record through the campaign. Tafea FC’s Jane Alatoa won the Golden Boot Award, having netted four goals in the tournament, all scored in the group stage. The powerful forward was a constant menace to the opposition as the Vanuatuan side made an impressive run to the semifinals. The Golden Glove Award for the competition’s top goalkeeper was won by Auckland United’s Hollis. The Kiwi stopper was an influential presence for her side, as they conceded only twice across all five of their matches. Auckland United also produced the Golden Ball Award winner. Captain Talisha Green was the outstanding figure for the eventual winners, leading by example with both her on-field ability and her leadership credentials as skipper. Auckland United 1 (Bree Johnson 25′) Hekari United 0. HT: 1-0 OFC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE AWARDS Golden Boot - Jane Alatoa (Tafea FC) Golden Glove - Amberley Hollis (Auckland United) Golden Ball - Talisha Green (Auckland United) Fair Play Award - Auckland United

Auckland Softball is calling on Softball New Zealand (SNZ) to make necessary improvements to the National Fastpitch Championship (NFC) tournament. After sweeping the national event earlier this month, Auckland Softball released a statement asking for action from the national body. Last season, delays as a result of scheduling at the NFC meant some Auckland men's players had to depart the tournament grand final in Christchurch before it had concluded. The 2024 tournament was only marginally better as Auckland Softball again pushed for solutions from the governing body. At the recent NFC at Rosedale Park on Auckland's North Shore, Auckland won both men's and women's titles to sit back on top of softball's provincial level. Auckland defeated Canterbury in the men's final and North Harbour in the women's decider, but there was still plenty of conjecture around the management of the tournament. The last three NFC finals have seen the losing team leaving prior to the prizegiving due to time constraints, but despite long-running discussions regarding the format and timing of the tournament, no real change has resulted. Players and management have had to catch flights, including Canterbury in this year's final. One of the umpires for the final also left before the completion of the game. The timing issue came to a head last season when Hoani Lambert, chairperson of the SNZ executive board, said Softball Auckland’s actions were unacceptable. In the lead up to the 2022-23 tournament in Christchurch, SNZ was informed by Auckland Softball four weeks prior to the event about the only flight option due to the increased costs around travelling during Labour Weekend. Meetings involving SNZ the night prior and morning of the finals failed to find a solution, with broadcasting obligations. The start of both finals was delayed by SNZ, with teams sitting in the dugouts waiting for games to commence. Policies and procedures have been talked about so that the situation would not occur again. But nothing has been initiated and the 2024 men's final saw SNZ, with no prior discussion, reduce the warm-ups to one pitch per innings due to time constraints. Auckland Softball were concerned that the pinnacle event has been impacted by event management in the previous three years. Canterbury Softball proposed - backed by Auckland Softball - at the SNZ conference in May 2023 for a multi-week National League. The concept was unanimously approved by provincial associations. However, nine months later SNZ has not completed any work on the issue, much to the disappointment of Softball Auckland CEO Gareth Teahan. “Auckland suffered last season with travel difficulties and mammoth charges to try and change flights from Christchurch for amateur sportspeople. We could see the problems occurring, but nothing was done about it,” said Teahan. “This year, the tournament was held in Auckland and Canterbury were watching the clock and were not able to stay for the prizegiving. It devalues what is otherwise a great national teams event. Auckland Softball will continue to advocate and assist with a new concept that allows our top-level players to excel at the highest level."

While the Crusaders' top team has yet to put a win on the board in 2024, the franchise's next generation is showing promise. The Crusaders put together a dominant performance to defeat the Chiefs 31-17 in the final to capture the Super Rugby Under-20 title for the first time at Taupo's Owen Delany Park on Sunday. Wins over the Highlanders in round one and the Blues in the semifinals set them on the path to the finals match up against the Chiefs. Finals day kicked off with the NZ Barbarians playing Moana Pasifika. The Baabaas started strongly with some set piece tries that were straight out of a Barbarians playbook, and led 21-0 after as many minutes. Moana Pasifika responded with three tries and narrowed the deficit to 21-15 but the Baabaas scored two late tries to win 36-15. The Highlanders finished their weekend off with a big 59-19 win over Fiji Drua, with captain Josh Whaanga and Max Ratcliffe picking up doubles. The Hurricanes held out a strong Blues outfit to claim third place. Scoring three first-half tries, they were forced to defend for long periods in the second spell to hold on to their 24-19 winning margin. The final day’s play was the culmination a week-long tournament, the fourth edition to be hosted in Taupo. Hurricanes loose forward Mosese Bason joined the impressive list of players who have won the Sir John Graham Player of the Tournament award, following in the footsteps of current All Blacks Luke Jacobson and Fletcher Newell. Bason showed his strong work rate across all three game days, the dynamic loose forward impressing selectors with his effort with ball in hand and on defence. The purpose of the tournament is to provide a platform for talent identification for the New Zealand under-20s along with on and off field development for emerging players, coaches and wider management. This year, players attended a development session with Sir John Kirwan on mental wellbeing, a Q&A with All Blacks coaches Leon MacDonald and Jason Ryan and players Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Leroy Carter and Mitch Karpik. NZ Rugby high performance player development manager Matt Sexton said the tournament reaffirmed the country’s ability to produce quality rugby players. “Once again this tournament has delivered on and off the field. We have seen some great matches contested between the eight teams and enjoyed some quality development opportunities throughout the week. “I am confident the New Zealand under-20 coaches will have been happy with the players they have seen in action and will now work towards naming a 30-player squad for the upcoming Under 20 Rugby Championship in Australia,” said Sexton.