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Brumbies' Andy Muirhead tackled by Chiefs' Leroy Carter during the Super Rugby semifinal match between the Chiefs and Brumbies at FMG Stadium in Hamilton, PHOTO: CRAIG BUTLAND/LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY The Chiefs have eased into the Super Rugby Pacific final to face the Crusaders after a 37-17 win over the ACT Brumbies in Hamilton. Damian McKenzie's boot dominated with six penalty goals and he converted both Emoni Narawa's tries while the Brumbies have crossed the chalk three times through Corey Toole (two) and Billy Pollard. LATEST HEADLINES: Steel score big victory over Stars Routliffe, Venus in semifinal losses Ryan Fox set to make cu at US Open Paulsen to Scottish Premiership club? Crusaders beat Blues in Super semifinal McKenzie recorded 22 points as the hosts ran away with the game in the second half. They will take on the Crusaders in Christchurch after their epic win over the Blues on Friday. The Chiefs were dealt an early blow as lock Tupou Vaa’i went to the bin for an early high shot on Billy Pollard. Pollard would make the hosts pay for the indiscretion with the opener as the Brumbies drove over for a rolling maul try. This failed to hold the hosts back for long as they worked their way back into the Brumbies’ territory, who were dealt a timely blow after a failed HIA for Noah Lolesio. Winger Emoni Narawa sparked the home crowd with a smart pick and go to expose the space around the ruck to level the scores. Two McKenzie’s penalties gave the hosts the lead as replacement Jack Debreczeni fired up the Brumbies. before putting the ball on the boot for Corey Toole to score in the corner, reducing the margin to one. A further two penalties from McKenzie gave the hosts a 19-12 lead at half-time before some magic from Toole tried to spark the Brumbies into life. Toole got the ball inside the 22 as he gassed George Dyer and bumped off McKenzie to dive over in the corner as the margin reduced to two. But the Chiefs were a step ahead as Narawa crossed for his second after a Quinn Tupaea break splintered the Brumbies' defence. A fifth and sixth McKenzie penalty pushed the margin out past two converted tries as the Chiefs remained desperate to go one further than 2024. Josh Jacomb sealed the win in the 63rd minute as McKenzie set up his fellow playmaker for the dagger. Tom Wright thought he’d got the Brumbies back in the game but an unbelievable try-saver from McKenzie stopped a certain try. It allowed the Chiefs to close out the win and set up a rematch of the final from 2023. Chiefs 37 (Emoni Narawa 2 tries, Josh Jacomb try; Damian McKenzie 2 con, 6 pen) Brumbies 17 (Corey Toole 2 tries, Billy Pollard try, Ryan Lonergan con). HT: 19-12.

Ryan Fox was steady at times in his first round at the US Open PHOTO: PGA TOUR A double bogey on the back nine have taken New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox from a top-10 to top 40 at the US Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Fox won his place in the field with victoery in the Canadian Open in a play-off victory on Monday, played a steady front nine to eventually finish two-over par. LATEST HEADLINES: Phoenix Women sign talented American Routliffe into semifinals, Venus quarters Chiefs' Jacobson, Blues' Sullivan return Sun starts Wimbledon build-up with win All Whites beaten by Ukraine in Toronto He started well with a birdie on the par-4 second hole, but then bogeyed the next hole. He was succesful with a long putt to birdie the par-three sixth. But he bogeyed the 11th and then hit trouble on the 14th The double bogey on the 14th hole, a par-four which dropped him back to two-over.and out of reach of the leaders. The final four holes of the round were all pars to see Fox tied 34th, sixth shots behind the leader., American JJ Spaun. Meanwhile, Amelia Garvey has continued her good form on the Ladies European Tour, tied for 14th after the opening round of the Hulencourt Women's Open in Belgium on Thursday (Friday NZT). Garvey carded a one-under 71, which included three birdies and two bogeys at the Golf Club D'Hulencourt to sit four shots off the lead. Compatriots Momoka Kobori and Wenyung Keh were further back. Kobori managed a one-over 73, featuring a birdie and two bogeys, to be tied for 43rd and Keh a four-over 76, with three birdies, five bogeys and a double-bogey, to sit in a share of 88th. On the Legends Tour, Michael Campbell and Michael Long are both in a share of 34th after the first round of the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy tournament in Greece on Thursday (Friday NZT). Both signed for one-over 73s at the International Olympic Academy Golf Course - Campbell with two birdies and three bogeys, and Long with one birdie and two bogeys - to be six strokes off the pace. At the Japan LPGA's Suntory Ladies Open in Hyogo, Eunseo Choi is tied for 48th after a first round even-par 72 on Thursday, which included two birdies and two bogeys.

Oakmont Country Club has been a tough course with only three players under par PHOTO: USGA New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox has had another up-and-down day, at the second round of the US Open, at Oakmont in Pennsylvania. Only three players are under par with all bar a few finished their second round. LATEST HEADLINES: Paulsen to Scottish Premiership club? Crusaders beat Blues in Super semifinal Finn Allen blasts for San Fran Unicorns Fox mixed US Open, other Kiwis results Sun beaten, Venus semis Netherlands Fox looks certain to make the cut sitting tied 36th at five-over after a three-over round. Starting on the back nine, six shots off the lead, Fox hit a birdie at the par four 10th, but then dropped a shot at the 11th. Two more birdies were to follow as he completed his first nine holes, at the par-three 13th and the par-four 15th, but these were countered by bogeys the 14th and 18th. Fox won the Canadian Open on 9 June, his second PGA title after winning his first just over a month ago, on 11 May at the Myrtle Beach Classic] in South Carolina. At the Ladies European Tour event at Hulencourt in Belgium Amelia Garvey is tied 10th at three-under. Garvey had a second round 70 after birdies at the first, ninth and 13th hole but made a bogey at the par-five 10th hole. She's five shots behind the leader Helen Briem of Germany.

Lulu Sun beaten in the second round at the Libema Open in the Netherlands PHOTO: LIBEMA OPEN A loss and a win at the 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands with Lulu Sun beaten in extemely windy conditions by former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu. In her second round match Sun had real trouble with her serve in the opening set, only winning three points on it as she appeared perplexed by the movement of the ball. LATEST HEADLINES: Phoenix Womens sign 2nd import Next Ferns selections confirmed Routliffe semis, Venus quarters NZ team inUCI BMX World Cup Super Rugby semifinal teams However, her serving improved in the second set, winning 14 of 15 points on her first serve. But Andreescu managed to get the only break in the set, as she also saved two break points against her own service. Sun is scheduled to play in Nottingham next week and is on the entry list for Eastbourne the following week Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic are through to the semifinals of the men's doubles at the ATP event. Venus and Mektic were given a walkover win over Zizou Bergs and Jesper de Jong, so the tournament’s top seeds advance straight to the semifinals where they’ll play the all-Australian duo of Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson. It’s their first semifinal since Miami in March and their third in 2025.

Erin Routliffe (left) and Lyudmyla Kichenok high five but lost int he semis at the WTA tournament in London PHOTO: WTA Semifinal losses for Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus in their respective grasscourt tournaments in London and the Netherland's. In ’s-Hertogenbosch, in the Venus and Nikola Mektic lost 7-5 6-7(5) 10-6 against the Australian pair of Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson. LATEST HEADLINES: Ryan Fox set to make cut at US Open Paulsen to Scottish Premiership club? Crusaders beat Blues in Super semifinal Finn Allen blasts for San Fran Unicorns Fox mixed US Open, other Kiwis results In the deciding match tiebreak, Ebden and Thompson raced to a 5-1 lead. Venus and Mektic closed the gap from 8-3 to 8-6, but a double fault then ended their comeback. The Australians then held serve on their first match point to secure their spot in the final. At Queen’s Club in London, Routliffe and her temporary partner, Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine, lost 6-1, 6-2 to Asia Muhammad of the United States and the Dutchwoman Demi Schuurs. The match went for just under an hour, with Routliffe and Lyudmyla saving four of the 10 break points they faced. Venus is expected to remain at 18 in the men’s world rankings. Routliffe will remain at No 3 in the women’s WTA rankings. .

Finn Allen went on a scoring blitz in Major League Cricket PHOTO: SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS Black Caps batter Finn Allen has smashed the fastest 150 in T20 cricket with an incredible display of hitting, in the opening game of the US Major League Cricket season Allen scored 151 off 51 balls for the San Francisco Unicorns against the Washington Freedom in Oakland. LATEST HEADLINES: Fox mixed US Open, other Kiwis results Sun beaten, Venus semis Netherlands Phoenix Women sign talented American Routliffe into semifinals, Venus quarters Chiefs' Jacobson, Blues' Sullivan return His innings helped take the Unicorn to a huge total of 269-5 from their 20 overs and an eventual win by 123 runs with Washington all out for 146. He brought up his 150 off 49 balls including 19 sixes. The other two New Zealanders in the side Tim Seifert scored 18 and former Black Cap, now American Corey Anderson three not out. Ben Sears, Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips were all part of the Washinton attack In their turn to bat Ravindra top scored for the freedom with 42 from 17 balls but Phillips fell for no score while Aussie big-hitter Glenn Maxwell went for five. Sears put up a decent fight down the order with 15 not out from 10 balls including a six

The Steel's Carys Stythe tries to push the ball from the hands the Stars Charlie Bell PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY/NETBALL NZ The Southern Steel have won the bottomof-the-table clash 62-46 over the Stars in ANZ Premiership in Aucklnad. There were standout performances at both ends of the court from shooter Aliyah Dunn, who enjoyed a 45/46 return under the hoop, and the continued strong form of rising young defender Carys Stythe, with five intercepts and six deflections, to give the Steel the edge.. LATEST HEADLINES: Routliffe, Venus in semifinal losses Ryan Fox set to make cu at US Open Paulsen to Scottish Premiership club? Crusaders beat Blues in Super semifinal Finn Allen blasts for San Fran Unicorns The Steel absorbed and responded in strong bursts while the injury-plagued Stars used their full complement of players but still remain bottom of the ponts ladder. The home side had their moments in getting turnover ball but couldn’t maintain their consistency for long enough. Replacement defender Julia Wynands gave her first outing at the elite level a good crack while Charlie Bell, shot 31 from 32. The Stars opted for their starting shooters of last week, captain Maia Wilson and Monica Falkner while starting with a new in-circle defensive pairing of Kayla Johnson and Lili Tokaduadua. The Steel welcomed Silver Fern midcourter Kate Heffernan back for her first start of the campaign after returning from injury, taking on the centre’s bib while Kimiora Poi slipped into wing attack. Little separated the sides during a competitive and entertaining opening stanza, the Steel poking their noses in front in the closing minutes on the back of untimely Stars’ lapses. The Steel shooter-to-shooter combination between Dunn and Georgia Heffernan, who had a productive outing, put the pair in good scoring positions while taking the visitors out to a 15-11 lead at the first break. Making multiple changes on the resumption, the Stars made the worst possible start, the visitors’ delivering some sparkling through-court passages of play to score the first seven goals. Staring down a 10-goal deficit prompted a tactical time-out for the home side. Showing more composure, the Stars gradually settled into their work, ensuring it wasn’t all one-way traffic for the Steel. A strong fightback, with Mila Reuelu-Buchanan a shining light through the midcourt and delivering quick feeds, and a firmer grip defensively, helped reduce the margin. However, with the dominant figures of Dunn and defender Stythe getting the upper hand under the respective hoops, the Steel headed into the main break on the front foot when leading 29-23. Spear-headed by 1.96m shooter Bell, the Stars had all the momentum to start the third spell and with it their best phase of the match. Full of purpose the Stars had a storming start to push the Steel into error and climb right back into contention. Finding their flow on attack, the Stars clawed the deficit back to three goals and with a real sniff of forcing the issue. However, just as quickly, they had too many rushes of blood while undoing all the good work with a string of soft turnovers. Regrouping the Steel held them at arms-length and poured on the heat during the closing minutes. At the forefront, Dunn and Stythe continued their influential presence with strong contributions to push the Steel out to a comfortable 47-35 lead at the last turn

Alex Paulsen has finished his loea to Auckland FC PHOTO: AUCKLAND FC Strong rumours New Zealand All Whites goalkeeper Alex Paulsen could be heading for Scotland as his loan deal has ended with A-League club Auckland FC. Paulsen, 22 is under contract to English Premier League club Bournemouth who loaned him to Auckland FC for their debut season in the A-League where they won the Premiers Plate title. LATEST HEADLINES: Crusaders beat Blues in Super semifinal Finn Allen blasts for San Fran Unicorns Fox mixed US Open, other Kiwis results Sun beaten, Venus semis Netherlands Phoenix Women sign talented American But his next club could be Scottish Premiership side Hibernian, who are part of billionaire Bill Foley's Black Knight Group which owns Bournemouth and Auckland FC. Hibernian finished third on the Scottish Premiership table last season. Paulsen was judged A-League Save of the Year, A-League Goalkeeper of the Year and PFA Team of Year Captain.

Scott Barrett makes a charge in the Crusaders semifinal win over the Blues PHOTO: CRAIG BUTLAND/LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY The Crusaders have returned to the Super Rugby Pacific Final after holding on to take defeat the Blues 21-14 in Christchurch. Scores were locked 14-each at halftime but a try to Will Jordan sealed the game despite the Blues spending 38 phases attacking the Crusaders line. LATEST HEADLINES: Finn Allen blasts for San Fran Unicorns Fox mixed US Open, other Kiwis results Sun beaten, Venus semis Netherlands Phoenix Women sign talented American Routliffe into semifinals, Venus quarter Mark Tele'a scored first in the 14th minute for the Blues followed by Rieko Ioane for the visitors to lead 14-0. However loose forward Tom Christie got the home side on the board in the 24th minute followed by Jordan in the 37th minute. Jordan's try in the second half was nothing like his usual running display, instead he burrowed over the line for a try with 10 minutes on the clock. The Blues then attacked and attacked with time almost up, but the Crusaders defence was resolute to hold their line. The Crusaders are now unbeaten in 31 home playoff matches and will now play the Grand Final in Christchurch next weekend against the winner of tonight's clash between the Chiefs or Brumbies. Crusaders 21 (Will Jordan 2 tries, Tom Christie try; Rivez Reihana 3 con) Blues 14 (Mark Tele’a, Rieko Ioane tries; Beauden Barrett 2 con) HT: 14-14. Yellow cards: Braydon Ennor (Crusaders, 13min, head clash), Joshua Fusitu’a (Blues, 13min head clash), Hoskins Sotutu (Blues, 74min, head clash). s

Erin Routliffe (in white top) and Lyudmyla Kichenok play in front of a big crowd at the London tournament PHOTO: STEPHANIE MYLES/OPEN COURT Two out of three for New Zealanders playing doubles in the build up to Wimbledon with Erin Routliffe and Lyudmyla Kichenok are through to the semifinals of the London WTA 500 tournament, In Europe Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic are into the quarterfinals at ’s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, but Lulu Sun and American Ann Li were beaten 6-4 7-6(7) by Poland;s Katarzyna and Nina Stojanovic (Serbia) in the first round. LATEST HEADLINES: NZ team inUCI BMX World Cup Super Rugby semifinal teams Sun starts Wimbledon build up All Whites beaten by Ukraine White Ferns in NZA tour side Routliffe and Ukraine’s Kichenok won their quarterfinal over the British duo of Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter 6-2 7-5 and an enthusiastic crowd at the Queens Club. They won both of the deciding points in this match, while Raducanu, who rarely plays doubles, and Boulter converted only one of the eight break points they had. This was the second all-British team that Routliffe and Kichenok have defeated at Queen’s as in the first round they beat Jodie Burrage and Sonay Kartal 7-6(8) 7-6(1). In their semifinal, they will play the winner of the match between Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs against Yulia Putintseva and Elena Rybakina. At ’s-Hertogenbosch Venus and Mektic beat Theo Arribage from France and Brazil’s Marcelo Demoliner 6-4 1-6 10-7. As the scoreline suggests, Venus and Mektic lost their way slightly in the second set, but their experience as a team helped them to come through in the super tiebreak. In the quarterfinals Venus and Mektic will go up against Belgian Zizou Bergs and Jesper De Jong (Netherlands).

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley was pleased with the sides fight, but not the result against Ukraine. PHOTO: CANADIAN SHIELD TOURNAMENT The All Whites been beaten 2-1 by Ukraine in their second match at the Canadian Shield four-nation tournament in Toronto . The result means the New Zealanders finish with a win and a loss after their first up 1-0 victory over Cōte d'Ivoire on Sunday. LATEST HEADLINES: White Ferns in NZA tour side Clarke re-signs til end of 2027 Phoenix Women sign goalscorer Max Mata leaving Auckland FC Pulse retain injury replacements The All Whites were on the bakc foot for most of the first half and should have been ahead if it was not for a couple of saves from Akeeper Max Crocombe. The New Zealanders were able to get back into the game after halftime, but it was Ukraine who opened the scoring in the 54th minute from Oleksiy Hutsuliak just inside the penalty area beat Crocombe at the near post. The kiwi side replied five minutes later when Marko Stamenic headed home from a corner. Liberato Cacace's corner was headed back across the goal by Michael Boxall, allowing Stamenic to flick the ball into the goal. Arsenal midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko then put Ukraine in front in the 74th minute when he was left unmarked in the box and powered home a cross. All Whites coach Darren Bazeley made three changes from the side that beat Cōte d'Ivoire with Boxall starting at right-back, Matt Garbett on the left wing and Ben Waine up front. Callum McGowatt was left out of the side, while Bill Tuiloma and Kosta Barbarouses were on the bench, along with Chris Wood. Ukraine who fielded a number of younger player made nine changes from the side that lost 4-2 to Canada in their opening match.

Lulu Sun won her first round at the WTA tournament in the Netherlands PHOTO: WTA SCREENSHOT Lulu Sun made an impressive start to the grass court season with a convincing 6-1 6-3 win over Anouck Vrancken Peeters in ’s-Hertogenbosch. In what was her first match on the surface since last year’s Wimbledon quarterfinal, Sun defeated the local Dutchwoman who was playing in a WTA main draw for the first time in 69 minutes. LATEST HEADLINES: All Whites beaten by Ukraine White Ferns in NZA tour side Clarke re-signs til end of 2027 Phoenix Women sign goalscorer Max Mata leaving Auckland FC Sun was able to break her opponent’s serve five occasions and always looked in control as she marched through to the second round. In the second round 24-year-old Sun will play Canaidan Bianca Andreescu, the former US Open winner. Sun is also in the doubles draw American Ann Li. Meanwhile in the doubles at the Queens tournament in Lodonon top seeds Erin Routliffe and Ukrainian Lyudmyla Kichenok defeated British wildcards Jodie Burrage and Sonay Kartal 7-6(8) 7-6(10. in the first round.