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Auckland United FC hit double figures PanSa in teh OFC Women's Champions League PHOTO: OFC Auckland United have sealed the top spot in Group B after a comprehensive 11-0 win over PanSa at the OFC Women’s Champions League 2025 in Tahiti. The defending champions will face Henderson Eels FC from the Solomon Islands in Wednesday’s (Tahiti time) semifinals. The New Zealand champions were a class above the American Samoan team who fought gallantly throughout but were unable to match their more skilful, quicker opponents. LATEST HEADLINES: Nix Sutton, Wootton to leave Fox chips in for maiden PGA win Goldsbury, Millward shine UCI MTB Mystics, Tactix opening netball wins NZ Under 20 Rugby Champs win PanSa adopted a low block on defence from the outset and seldom managed to get out of their half as the Auckland United side attacked from the first minute and maintained the pressure throughout the 90-minute contest. Chloe Knott with a quality finish opened the scoring in the 6th minute, but it took another 13 minutes of relentless attack before the New Zealanders doubled their lead. Ariana Vosper was brought down in the box and Ava Pritchard made no mistake from the penalty spot. Two minutes later Knott had her second goal after a pinpoint cross from Alexis Cook, before captain Jess Philpott unleashed a thunderbolt into the top of the net barely a minute later. Knott scrambled the ball across the line from close range for her hat-trick in the 30th minute. 14-year-old Vosper making her tournament debut scored the sixth goal five minutes before the break to round out the first half scoring. The relentless pressure continued in the second half with substitute Pia Vlok grabbing the seventh goal for Auckland United FC in the 51st minute. It took until the 81st minute for Auckland United FC to add to their tally, through Ariana Vosper's older sister, second half substitute Saskia Vosper. Further goals came through Vlok with two more for her hat-trick and Kate McConnell. Vlok playing just the second half earned the player of the match honours. For PanSa, goalkeeper Rayxena Foma'i turned in another impressive performance, maintaining her concentration and making a number of saves which helped prevent the score from blowing out further. AUCKLAND UNITED FC 11 (Chloe KNOTT 6’, 21’, 30’ Ava PRITCHARD 19’ pen, Jess PHILPOTT 22’, Ariana VOSPER 40’, Pia VLOK 51’, 85', 92' Saskia VOSPER 81', Kate McConnell 89') PANSA 0HT 6-0

Football and film famous Wrexham AFC will play the Wellington Phoenix PHOTO: A-LEAGUES It's now official that the the Wellington Phoenix will play host to Wrexham AFC in the final leg of the popular Welsh club’s ‘Down Under Tour’. The Phoenix will square off against the newly-promoted Red Dragons at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Saturday, July 19, with kick-off at 5pm. LATEST HEADLINES: Football Ferns home advatage Auckland United big OFC win Nix Sutton, Wootton to leave Fox chips in for maiden PGA win Goldsbury, Millward shine UCI MTB Club members will receive access to a pre-sale from 1pm tomorrow (Wednesday, May 14) before tickets go on general sale from 11:30am Friday (May 16). Wrexham has shot to international prominence since Hollywood stars and entrepreneurs Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds purchased the third oldest football club in the world in 2021, and it has since been featured in the Emmy award-winning Welcome to Wrexham docu-series. The Red Dragons last month clinched a record-breaking third promotion in three years to secure their place in English football’s Championship. “We’re delighted to be welcoming Wrexham to Wellington,” Wellington Phoenix general manager said David Dome. “The capital has a proud history of hosting New Zealand’s biggest football events, and this promises to be another unmissable match at Sky Stadium. "Wrexham have had an incredible rise to the Championship and I know our players can't wait to test themselves against the Red Dragons. “I also look forward to catching up with Rob and Ryan over a pint of Wrexham lager at The Welsh Dragon, the only Welsh bar in the southern hemisphere!” The Wrexham Down Under Tour follows on from two highly successful pre-season tours to the USA, the first in 2023 which included a clash against Manchester United followed by the Wrex Coast Tour in 2024 with the headline fixture against another Premier League side in Chelsea. Wrexham AFC Co-Chairmen, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, commented: “The summer tour to Australia and New Zealand promises to be the latest chapter in the amazing story of Wrexham Football Club. “Following our record-breaking hattrick of promotions, which will see us playing in the Championship next season, we felt it was time for a new challenge on our summer tour. “So, what better than playing three matches in Australia and New Zealand. “It will be a great way for all our Wrexham fans down there to see the team and, anyway, we couldn’t resist signing off with a tag line so, Up The Town Down Under!” Wrexham will open their pre-season tour in Melbourne against Victory on Friday, July 11 before taking on Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Tuesday night (July 15).

Co-captain James Fisher-Harris could return for the Warriors against the Dolphins PHOTO: NRL New Zealand Warriors co-captain James Fisher-Harris and wing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck are in line to return from injury in a double boost for the club’s 11th-round clash against the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium Saturday afternoon in Brisbane. Fisher-Harris has been sidelined since being forced off the field with a pectoral strain in the opening minutes of the sixth-round match against Melbourne on April 13. Tuivasa-Sheck hasn’t played since picking up a hamstring injury in the round three win over the Sydney Roosters on March 21. LATEST HEADLINES: Phoenix to host Wrexham AFC Football Ferns home advatage Auckland United big OFC win Nix Sutton, Wootton to leave Fox chips in for maiden PGA win Head coach Andrew Webster has today named Fisher-Harris in the starting lineup to face the Dolphins with Tuivasa-Sheck included on the extended bench in jersey No 22 . He was targeted for a possible comeback against St George Illawarra last week but was ultimately held back for another week. Aside from Fisher-Harris coming in for the unavailable Bunty Afoa (knee) the starting side announced is the same as the one used in the win over the Dragons last Saturday night. Also ruled out is interchange prop Jackson Ford (concussion). The Warriors go into the weekend holding second spot on the ladder with a 7-2 record matching the club’s best start to a season first achieved in 2002 and emulated in 2018. After a run of three consecutive wins earlier in the season against Manly-Warringah, the Roosters and Wests Tigers, they’ve now rebounded from their heavy loss to the Storm with four wins on end against Brisbane (20-18), Newcastle (26-12), North Queensland (30-26) and St George Illawarra (15-14). Halfback Luke Metcalf lifted his season’s points tally to 79 with a try, two conversions, a penalty and the match-winning field goal against the Dragons. He’s comfortably the team’s leading try score with seven in nine games. This will be the fifth time the Warriors have met the Dolphins since the Queensland side was added to the competition in 2023. While the Warriors have won both contests at Go Media Stadium – 30-8 in 2023 and 24- 20 last year – the Dolphins have taken out both clashes at Suncorp Stadium (34-10 and 34-32). The Dolphins sit 12th on the ladder after 10 rounds with four wins and six losses but had a 20-16 win over Parramatta last weekend to bounce back from defeats by Canberra and the Roosters. Warriors : 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Adam Pompey, 4 Kurt Capewell, 5 Taine Tuaupiki, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Luke Metcalf, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitchell Barnett, 11 Leka Halasima, 12 Marata Niukore, 13 Erin Clark Interchange: 14 Te Maire Martin, 15 Jacob Laban, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Sam Healey Reserves: 18 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 20 Tanner Stowers-Smith, 21 Tanah Boyd, 22 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 23 Moala Graham-Taufa

Ben Hunt in action winning the Rlaly South Canterbury PHOTO: NZ RALLY CAHMPIONSHIP Ben Hunt has extended his lead in the New Zealand Rally Championship after claiming victory at the Rally South Canterbury. Hunt, the reigning national champion, backed up his opening round win at Otago last month with a dominant win by one minute and 56 seconds. LATEST HEADLINES: Fisher-Harris Warriors return Phoenix to host Wrexham AFC Football Ferns home advatage Auckland United big OFC win Nix Sutton, Wootton to leave The Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally 2 driver led home Josh Marston (RDL Holden Barina AP4) and Robbie Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Skoda Rally 2). The battle between Marston and Jack Hawkeswood (Force Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris) ran throughout the day until Hawkeswood stopped on the penultimate stage, while Stokes overcame a mechanical issue on the opening stage to salvage a podium finish. Dylan Thomson (Kiwi Carpet Cleaning Subaru Impreza) scored fourth in his older model Subaru Impreza. Hawkeswood, Emma Gilmour (Vantage New Zealand Citroen C3), Jack Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4 and Haydn Mackenzie (Albany Toyota Yaris AP4) all failed to finish. Bryn Jones (Ford Fiesta Rally 4) backed up his opening round win with victory in the NZRC 2WD class – leading home Tim Mackersy (Ford Fiesta Rally 4) by 40 seconds. Dave Strong also went back-to-back in consecutive rallies in the Open 2WD class in his high-powered Honda Jazz, beating Paul Cross (Toyota Corolla). Deane Buist triumphed in the Historic 2WD class, with a win in his Ford Escort. Stephen Gill (Ford Escort) and Andy Martin (Ford Escort) completed the podium. Caleb Macdonald extended his lead in the Rally Challenge 4WD class in his Mitsubishi EVO 6, though Josh Keighley (Subaru H6) and Kevin Laird (Subaru H6) kept him honest. Keighley led home Laird and Ben Huband (Subaru H6) in the Group A Challenge. Local driver Darren Galbraith won the Rally Challenge 2WD class in his Ford Fiesta with Ian Warren (Nissan Pulsar) second and first round winner Thomas Paul (Honda Civic) third. The championship continues with round three at Lonestar Rally Canterbury over King’s Birthday weekend.

The All blacks have three home games in the Rugby Championship 2025 PHOTO: LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY Kick off times for the 2025 Rugby Championship have been confirmed with a couple of morning viewings to go with early evenings games for the All Blacks The TRC mini-tour format has each team playing six matches comprising three home matches and three away matches. Each team will host a two-match tour, will play an away two-match tour, and play a one-match home and away series against the third remaining team. LATEST HEADLINES: Hunt wins Rally South Canterbury Fisher-Harris Warriors return Phoenix to host Wrexham AFC Football Ferns home advatage Auckland United big OFC win This year, South Africa hosts Australia for two matches before heading to New Zealand for two away matches. New Zealand will head to Argentina for its away mini-tour prior to hosting South Africa, while Australia will host Argentina for two matches. The Bledisloe Cup home and away Tests between Australia and New Zealand will take place in Perth and Auckland this year. The Rugby Championship runs 16 August until 2 October 2025. The two games for the All Blacks in Argentina are Sunday 17 August at Cordoba with a pleasant 9.10am kick off NZT. The following week Sunday 24th for the game in Buenos Aires it is the same kick off. The biggest game of the season for many is Saturday 6 September as the All Blacks host South Africa at Eden Park at 7.05pm with the unbeaten record in Auckland on the line. The next week the two sides clash again at Sky Stadium in Wellington Saturday 13 September with the 7.05pm kick off. A couple of weeks later the Wallabies are at Eden Park looking for their first win at the venue since 1986. The game is at the early time of 5.05pm Saturday 27 September. The All Blacks then travel to Perth to play the Wallabies on Saturday 4 October with a 5.45pm kick off. South Africa won the title in 2024 with the All Blacks winning the previous four years. Game schedule and kick offs here

Betsy Hassett seen here at the FIFA Women's World Cup against Switzerland returns to the Football Ferns squad to face Venezuela PHOTO: CRAIG BUTLAND/LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY Football Ferns interim coach Michael Mayne has named five changes to his previous squad to face Venezuela next month in Spain. Calgary Wild’s Ally Green, Newcastle Jets’ Deven Jackson, Wellington Phoenix’s Grace Jale, and Melbourne City’s Rebekah Stott all return, as Mayne continues to examine a range of players in the team environment to build depth across the pitch ahead of the next FIFA Women’s World Cup cycle. LATEST HEADLINES: Fan-friendly All Blacks kick offs Hunt wins Rally South Canterbury Fisher-Harris Warriors return Phoenix to host Wrexham AFC Football Ferns home advatage Midfielder Betsy Hassett with 157 appearances returns for the first time since giving birth in 2024, and will travel to Spain with her son and partner. The team will be looking to build on their good performances in 2024, after opening the year with a win and draw against Costa Rica before being unable to play in the April window due to pitch safety concerns in Taiwan. Of players named in erns squads in the last year, CJ Bott, Katie Bowen, Macey Fraser, Anna Leat, Malia Steinmetz, Jana Radosavljević, Ali Riley, and Indiah-Paige Riley were not available for selection due to injury concerns or return to play considerations. “It’s another exciting squad to name, with good consistency and lots of motivation to reassemble in Spain and get back to work, especially as we weren’t able to get our performance out on the pitch in the last international window due to issues outside of our control," said Mayne. “As with previous windows, the priority for us at this stage of the cycle is building competition in the squad ahead of the next FIFA Women’s World Cup, so it is good to welcome back some players who weren’t in the squad in the last or last few windows. “Following her return to football and her progress, it's great to call Betsy back into the Ford Football Ferns whānau after giving birth to her son Nói last year, and we look forward to the whole family joining us in camp. “Venezuela will be a good challenge for us at this point in the cycle, so I’m looking forward to working with the team to continue implementing our new playing model and seeing some strong individual performances to promote a dominant team performance in Spain.” The Ford Football Ferns face Venezuela on Sunday 1 June 2025 at 4am NZT (31 May 2025 at 6pm local) and Wednesday 4 June 2025 at 4am NZT (3 June 2025 at 6pm local). The first game will be played at the Marbella Football Center in San Pedro de Alcántara, Spain. The second will take place at Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Algeciras, Spain. Football Ferns squad: Liz Anton, Kolbotn IL, Norway, Kelli Brown, Perth Glory, Australia, Claudia Bunge, Melbourne Victory, Australia, Milly Clegg, Halifax Tides, Canada, Manaia Elliott, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand, Victoria Esson, Rangers, Scotland, Michaela Foster, Durham FC, England, Ally Green, Calgary Wild, Canada, Maya Hah, FFC Turbine Potsdam, Germany, Jacqui Hand, Sheffield United, England, Betsy Hassett, Stjarnan FC, Iceland, Deven Jackson, Newcastle Jets, Australia, Grace Jale, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand, Claudia Jenkins, Adelaide United, Australia, Katie Kitching, Sunderland AFC, England, Annalie Longo, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand, Meikayla Moore Calgary Wild, Canada, Ruby Nathan Canberra United, Australia, Grace Neville, London City Lionesses, England, Emma Pijnenburg, Feyenoord Rotterdam, Netherlands, Alina Santos, University of Denver, USA, Rebekah Stott, Melbourne City, Australia, Kate Taylor, Dijon FCO, France, Grace Wisnewski,Lexington SC, USA

Kiwi squash pro, Paul Coll has eased into the semifinals to the PSA World Championships in Chicago World No 4 Coll will take on rival Mostafa Asal in the semis after a comfortable 3-0 victory over former world champion Mohamed ElShorbagy to tee up the clash with Asal. LATEST HEADLINES: Teen talent at Auckland Squash Open America's Cup to be sailed in Naples Fox among leaders at PGA Champs Injuries, rivalries in netball Premiership Black Ferns look for revenge on Canada The West Coaster did an excellent job of tidying up in the front corners as he kept ElShorbagy at bay to open up a 1-0 lead, but the Englishman started to take risks in the second and hit more winners. However, too many unforced errors was ElShorbagy’s undoing, as Coll moved 2-0 up, taking the second 11-9. ElShorbagy was unable to mount a comeback and looked off the pace in the third as Coll took the game 11-2. “I’ve played him [Mohamed ElShorbagy] loads of times and when he makes that push it’s vital you’ve got to stick with him,” he said. “It’s so hard when he’s attacking you like that and going across the ’T’ line. I tried to stay aggressive myself and I think I did that at the end of that set [the second]. “He had a few massive five gamers off the back of Europeans so I knew if I made it physical then he’ll start to feel it. ‘I’ve got big respect for him, what he does and how he plays – he’s still fighting and he’s so hard to play against. I’m very happy," said Coll with the eventual scoreline 11-4, 11-2, 11-9 in 35 minutes. Unfortunately form isn't great for Coll against Asal. The Egyptian has a 12-6 head-to-head record including winning the last five encounters.

Pulse shooter Amelia Walmsley takes a shot against Mystics defender Catherine Hall PHOTO: NETBALL NZ/MICHAEL BARDLEY PHOTOGRPAHY Defending champions the Northern Mystics showed their style with a 59-48 win over the Pulse to open the second round of ANZ Premiership. On the back of a relentless defensive effort, the middle two quarters provided the difference for the Mystics after the Pulse competed on even terms through the first and last quarters. LATEST HEADLINES: Fox top-10 PGA Champs, Alker 2nd Canes win late, Crusaders top Tahs Taranaki challenge top four in NBL Coll eases into World Champs semis Teen talent at Auckland Squash Open With a team total of 10 intercepts, spearheaded by impressive goalkeeper Catherine Hall, the Mystics were able to get on the front foot while creating a disjointed effort from the Pulse’s attackers . Getting the upper hand through the middle quarters, the Mystics grew in confidence and were overall more proficient with their accuracy through court and finishing under the hoop. With more ball in hand, the home side were able to consistently keep the scoreboard ticking over. Shooter Ameila Walmsley was accurate under the Pulse hoop but with less opportunities couldn’t add scoreboard pressure while at the other end Kelly Jackson had her moments against the influential Donnell Wallam, the visitors unable to apply the same pressure as consistently as their opposites, who turned in a non-stop outing. There were no surprises in either line-up which highlighted exciting match-ups across the court, and that was more than evident through a tight and absorbing opening quarter. The much-anticipated match-up between 1.93m Mystics shooter Wallam and Pulse goalkeeper Jackson, a centimetre shorter, lived up to expectations. But there was equal intrigue at the other end where young home team goalkeeper Hall was in the thick of action through her closing speed and ability to anticipate play. Both sides produced some sizzling passages through the opening stanza, Mystics wing attack Peta Toeava using her speed to set up her circle while Maddy Gordon and Whitney Souness were similarly effective for the Pulse. There was nothing to separate the teams heading into the first break, neither having any luck with the two-point shot in the closing five minutes as the Pulse grabbed a tenuous 14-13 lead after 15 minutes. A little off-target, Wallam compensated with her ability to grab rebounds as the Mystics wrested their way into the lead during a dominant second quarter. The game quickly became a defensive battle. The Mystics back three of Hall, Holly Rae (nee Fowler) and captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson producing a swarming defensive effort to throw the Pulse off-stride while causing the visitors’ attacking end into error. The rangy Jackson picked up some much-needed turnover ball for the Pulse but loose play continued to hinder the Pulse’s momentum. With the connection between Toeava and Wallam continuing to pay dividends, the Mystics gained a handy buffer, Filda Vui nailing the first two-pointer of the match for the home side, which was closely mirrored by the Pulse’s Amorangi Malesala. But on the back of four intercepts and three deflections from Hall, the Mystics finished an encouraging second spell with a 29-23 lead at the main break. The Pulse made inroads during the third quarter, picking up extra ball on defence but were ultimately let down by loose passing and an inability to control their play on attack. For the most part, the Mystics retained a similar on-court seven while the Pulse made multiple changes in a desperate bid to find some rhythm and flow in their through-court play. Narrowing the gap to six was about as good as it got for the Pulse, Malesala offering a glimmer of hope when sinking a valuable two-pointer but with Wallam and Vui gaining maximums with the last two scoring opportunities of the quarter, the Mystics shot out to a handy 45-35 lead at the last turn.

Mostafa Asal lines up a forehand against New Zealand's Paul Coll PHOTO: PSA TOUR New Zealand’s Paul Coll has been outclassed by Egyptian world No. 1 Mostafa Asal at the Squash World Championships in Chicago. Playing in the semifinal Asal won his sixth consecutive match against Coll who was forced to work from the outset of the match. LATEST HEADLINES: NZ Warriors beat Dolphins, 5th win Mystics beat Pulse, lead Premiership Fox top-10 PGA Champs, Alker 2nd Canes win late, Crusaders top Tahs Taranaki challenge top four in NBL The Kiwi was run to all conrners of the court as Asal controlled the points for an 11-5 first set. . Coll, who was runner-up at the 2019 World Championships, tried to push up the court in the second but Asal once again managed to dictate the pace with quality squash. Asal remarkably only made one error and hit 16 winners from the opening two games, and his immense defensive work in the third was rewarded by taking the game 11-4 and booking his place in the final. Coll's next tournament is the British Open in Birmingham May 27 - June 8. which he won in 2021 and 2022.

Auckland FC will return to New Zealand with a slender A-League semifinal advantage after defeating the Melbourne Victory 1-0 in a first-leg battle. New Zealand internationals Francis De Vries and Logan Rogerson combined for Auckland’s decisive second-half goal at AAMI Park on Saturday night, set up by the former and finished by the latter in the 64th minute. LATEST HEADLINES: Coll beaten in world championships semis Warriors beat Dolphins for fifth straight win Mystics beat Pulse, lead ANZ Premiership Ryan Fox in top-10 at PGA Championship Hurricanes win late, Crusaders top Tahs Rogerson’s header proved the difference at a rain-swept AAMI Park as the Black Knights kept a clean sheet in the club’s first-ever playoffs fixture to take a one-goal advantage back to Auckland for next Saturday’s return leg at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart. The Victory were without injured club captain Roderick Miranda for Saturday’s match. The experienced defender suffered a leg injury in training on Friday and was replaced by Brendan Hamill in the centre of defence, who suffered an apparent knee injury in the second half and was replaced by young defender Josh Rawlins off the bench. Victory head coach Arthur Diles will be eager to receive a prognosis on the injuries to both Miranda and Hamill ahead of next Saturday’s return leg. Logan Rogerson scored the only goal in Auckland FC's A-League semifinal first-leg win. PHOTO: A-LEAGUE Down but not out of the semifinal tie, the Victory will travel to Auckland with a one-goal deficit that could have been doubled in the final minute of added-time, when a Neyder Moreno shot hit both posts before finding its way into the gloves of Victory keeper Jack Duncan. By the 30-minute mark, both teams had taken six shots on goal each in a frenetic start to the game under heavy rainfall in the Victorian capital. Ryan Teague and Nikos Vergos threatened early, before a Daniel Arzani strike was deflected away from goal by Auckland defender Nando Pijnaker. Down the other end, Jesse Randall threatened with a blocked shot that fell to Guillermo May at the back post; the Uruguayan’s header was on target but Jack Duncan made a leaping save to scoop the ball off the goal line – questions over whether the ball had crossed the line were quickly waved away once the offside flag was raised. Young Victory midfielder Jordi Valadon then fired just wide of the top-left corner from outside the box; it would have been his first goal in the A-League. The attacking action continued as Auckland midfielder Felipe Gallegos fired an attempt on goal, Marlee Francois looked to flick the ball on its way toward the target, and Victory’s defensive line stood and watched as it rolled just wide of the bottom-right corner. The second half began much like the first, as Randall fired a curling strike wide of the target four minutes after the restart. Fifty-six minutes into the contest, disaster struck for Victory and matchday captain Hamill. He suffered what looked to be a right knee injury while jostling for possession in defence. The Victory had a penalty shout waved away on the hour mark when an Arzani shot hit the arm of Pijnaker in the box, but soon after came a glorious chance for the hosts to take the lead when Rawlins, who came off the bench to replace Hamill, was denied in the six-yard box by a diving intervention from Auckland keeper Alex Paulsen. Paulsen’s desperate intervention proved crucial, coming just minutes before Rogerson broke the deadlock with an unmarked header. Picked out by a signature De Vries cross off the left wing, Victory left-back Kasey Bos was caught ball-watching as Rogerson skipped ahead of him in the queue to fire Auckland into the lead. Hearts were in mouths for Victory in the final minute of extra-time as Moreno received a late opportunity to put Auckland two goals clear. The Colombian fired a low strike toward the bottom-left corner but the ball struck one post, and then the other before landing in the lap of Duncan. Auckland FC 1 (Logan Rogerson 64') Melbourne Victory 0 . HT: 0-0

With a pair of new imports, the Nelson Giants recorded just their second win of the National Basketball League (NBL) season. During the international break, the NBS Giants added two Americans, forward Jeremy Combs and guard Andrew Jones, to their roster and got immediate benefit, downing the Hawke's Bay Hawks 98-82 in Napier on Friday night. LATEST HEADLINES: Advantage Auckland FC in A-League semi Coll beaten in world championships semis Warriors beat Dolphins for fifth straight win Mystics beat Pulse, lead ANZ Premiership Hurricanes win late, Crusaders top Tahs Combs exploded for 36 points (14/20 FG, 2/3 3pt), 11 rebounds and five assists in his first NBL game. Fellow imports Andrew Jones and Alex Robinson Jr also had big games. Jones, in his NBL debut, put up 18 points (5/7 FG, 2/7 3pt), four boards and three assists, and Robinson 16 points (7/13 FG), seven rebounds and 10 assists. New Nelson Giants import Jeremy Combs led the G-Men to a road victory over the Hawke's Bay Hawks. PHOTO: NBL Australian forward Dan Grida had 28 points (10/13 FG, 2/6 3pt), 10 rebounds and five assists for the Hawks against his former team. Junior Tall Black Jackson Ball continued his impressive season with 22 points (5/9 FG, 6/8 FT) and four assists. Import Wani Swaka Lo Buluk scored 18 points (4/8 FG, 3/5 3pt) but the rest of the Hawks lineup managed just 14 points combined. In Saturday's NBL action, the two-time defending champion Canterbury Rams and Wellington Saints picked up home wins to both move into the top-two. The Rams started strong, benefitted from some late home-court referee calls and scored the game's final five points to defeat the Auckland Tuatara 96-92 at Christchurch's Cowles Stadium, improving to 9-2. Australian point guard Sean Macdonald scored a team-high 27 points (9/18 FG, 4/10 3pt, 5/6 FT) to go with four rebounds and four assists as all five starters scored in double-digits for the Rams. Import forward CJ Penha had 19 points (8/17 FG) and seven boards, Kiwi Walter Brown 18 points (6/8 FG, 3/5 3pt), seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, Tohi Smith-Milner 12 points (4/9 FG, 3/6 3pt) and two steals, and Taylor Britt 11 points (2/11 FG, 7/8 FT) and six assists. Imports Charles Pride and Buay Tuach combined for 55 of Auckland's points and almost willed the Tuatara to victory. Pride had a game-high 31 points (13/19 FG, 3/6 3pt), 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal and block, while Tuach put up 24 points (9/16 FG, 5/7 FT), 12 boards and two steals. Kiwis Rob Loe (10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks) and Tom Vodanovich (11 points) also contributed. The Saints took advantage of a woeful shooting performance from the Manawatu Jets, rolling to a 108-61 victory at TSB Arena, moving to 9-3. The Jets shot just 26 percent (20-of-75) from the field and 14 percent (4-of-27) on three-point attempts, falling behind by 20 by halftime and seeing the scoreline balloon in the fourth period, when they scored just (a possible NBL record) four points. Wellington had five players score in double-digits, led by Australian forward Nick Marshall with 19 points (5/8 FG, 3/5 3pt, 6/9 FT) and seven rebounds. Tall Blacks guard Izayah Le’afa finished with 18 points (5/15 FG, 4/12 3pt, 4/4 FT), five assists, four steals and four blocks, while American big Nick Muszynski put up 16 points (7/9 FG), nine rebounds and four blocks. Kiwi guard Shea Ili scored 15 points (5/10 FG, 4/5 FT), along with eight boards, nine assists and two steals, and Rangi Dougall-Mita added 10 points (4/6 FG). Dontae Russo-Nance (18 points), Miles Gibson (17 points) and Isaac MillerJose (11 points) were the only Jets in double figures.

Naples harbour is the confirmed venue for the sailing of the 38th America's Cup in 2027 PHOTO: RNZYS The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS), and Team New Zealand have confirmed the 38th America’s Cup venue as Naples, Italy. In a statement Team New Zealand said they were pleased that after months of intense deliberation and negotiation between potential host cities, the 38th America’s Cup will officially take place in the stunning coastal city of Naples in the European spring and summer of 2027. LATEST HEADLINES: Fox among leaders at PGA Champs Injuries, rivalries in netball Premiership Black Ferns look for revenge on Canada Phoenix defeat Roar in the Australia Cup Key players back for Canes, Highlanders America’s Cup Defender, and Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton is delighted to announce Naples, Italy as the Host Venue. “I couldn’t be more excited to announce Naples, Italy as the Host Venue of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. There is a raw spirit and absolute pride in Italy that seems so appropriate to have the next America’s Cup here.” “By bringing the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup to this country, it feels like we are bringing it to the people, in our ambition to continually grow the audience of the America’s Cup and the sport of sailing. Italians are the most passionate and engaged America’s Cup audience and obviously it is the home of Luna Rossa who are such an amazing team and strong competitor. So, from the Defender’s position, it certainly feels like we are entering the lion’s den competitively, but from an event perspective it feels like the perfect venue to host the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup.” “Having so many dedicated and supportive Squadron members in Barcelona was amazing for the team and I have no doubt that Naples will be an incredible destination to visit to support the team again as we try to win the cup for the fourth consecutive time.” The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, holder of the America’s Cup trophy, has welcomed the decision to host the event in Naples, Italy with great enthusiasm. Speaking on behalf of the Squadron, Commodore David Blakey shared his excitement: “Italy has long been one of Team New Zealand’s fiercest and most passionate rivals in the America’s Cup, and we are thrilled to see Naples named as the host city for the 38th Match,” said Commodore Blakey. “Naples promises to be a spectacular setting for the America’s Cup, as well as the Youth and Women’s regattas. We are proud to be defending the Cup there in 2027 and see significant opportunities for New Zealand sailors, our marine industry, and businesses to shine. Our Squadron members had an unforgettable experience travelling to Europe for the latest America’s Cup, and we look forward to delivering even more exclusive experiences and support opportunities in Naples," said Blakey.