New Zealand: Sport

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Punching above weight

CRICKET
POVERTY Bay is the smallest association in the Northern Districts region but punches above its weight, says senior men’s coach and Poverty Bay Cricket Association development officer David McDonald.
“We had 13 players picked for

Cricket: Bennett ruled out of HRV Cup

New Zealand Cricket medical staff today confirmed Canterbury Wizards fast bowler Hamish Bennett has been ruled out of the HRV Cup Twenty20 competition.

NZC national selector manager Kim Littlejohn said: "Hamish has been

Camper Emirates Team New Zealand, skippered by Chris Nicholson from Australia. Photo / Supplied

Team New Zealand skipper Chris Nicholson says the crew aboard Camper are ready to attack on day 11 of the Volvo Ocean

Grant Fox. Photo / NZPA

New All Blacks' selector Grant Fox didn't think twice about accepting the job offer, even if it meant less time working on his tan this summer.

The former first five eighth

Andrew Durante of the Phoenix runs the ball under pressure from Ryan Griffiths of the Jets during the round 12 A-League match between Wellington Phoenix and Newcastle Jets at Westpac Stadium. Photo / Getty

Phoenix

Cricket: India embark on setting records Down Under

Sachin Tendulkar from India. Photo / AP

India's 10th tour to Australia has the potential to be one of the most memorable in history for the cricket-obsessed nation.

But with so much on the line, there's

Jesse Sergent, cyclist. Photo / Supplied

Feilding cyclist Jesse Sergent had his stunning 2011 season recognised by being named a finalist on road and track at the BikeNZ rider of the year awards.

Sergent came second

CANOEING

GISBORNE’S London Olympic hopeful Darryl Fitzgerald will head a five-strong local assault on the Oceania Canoe Championships at Penrith, Australia, in March.
For the 21-year-old it is the last chance to take the direct route

Bremer enjoyed an unexpected breakthrough victory in Ironman Western Australia earlier this month. Photo / Dean Purcell

Former Mt Maunganui athlete Michelle Bremer is hoping next month's Port of Tauranga half ironman will prove a happy

Manchester City's Yaya Toure (L) vies for the ball against Arsenal's Robin van Persie. Photo / AP

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure has been named African Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in the

Aussie McLean (L), Steven Hansen (C) and Ian Foster (R). Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen believes his new coaching staff and selectors will keep the World Cup winners "ahead of the pack"

Kristie Smith of Australia will return to New Zealand to defend her 2011 title. Photo / Getty Images

The New Zealand Women's Golf Open will return to Canterbury next February, almost a year to the day

[1]
The Solitaire (outer) wins at Wingatui in October. Photo by Tayler Strong.

Trainer Steve Anderton has an eye on the Dunedin Cup with either The Solitaire or The Glitzy One.

[1]
An angler looks for a fishing spot at Lake Benmore's Sailors Cutting near Otematata. Photo by Craig Baxter.

In the next few days anglers will be spoilt for choice as far as

Rugby: Taranaki rules out swoop on Highlanders

Taranaki has no plans to try to take the Highlanders out of the South as talks continue behind closed doors over the franchise and the role of the new Forsyth Barr Stadium.

With

Rugby: Grant Fox mystery All Black selector

Steve Hansen's coaching staff will be announced today, with most of the mystery surrounding the appointment of an "external'' selector.

Speculation has ramped up as to who that could be, but it seems

[1] Michael Clarke
A swashbuckling century on debut against India was the making of Michael Clarke as a test batsman. Seven years later, the one-time golden boy of Australian cricket might hope a home series

AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper Esteban from Costa Rica reacts as he is attacked by an Ajax Amsterdam supporter during the teams' match at Amsterdam Arena. REUTERS/Ajax/Louis Van De Vuurst

[1]
AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper Esteban from Costa Rica reacts as he is attacked by an Ajax Amsterdam supporter during the teams' match at Amsterdam Arena. REUTERS/Ajax/Louis Van De Vuurst

The Dutch football

[1] Ian Foster
Former Chiefs coach Ian Foster is the new assistant coach of the All Blacks and Grant Fox is to join as a selector, it was announced today.

Former Hurricanes assistant coach

Tottenham Hotspur's Emmanuel Adebayor (R) and Chelsea's Ashley Cole vie for the ball during their Premier League match at White Hart Lane in London. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

[1] Tottenham Hotspur's Emmanuel Adebayor (R) and Chelsea's Ashley Cole vie for the ball during their Premier League match at White Hart Lane in London. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Tottenham have maintained the edge over Chelsea in

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates winning the men's singles final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London in November. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

[1] Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates winning the men's singles final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London in November. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
The resurgent Roger

Tennis: Venus still on track for Melbourne

Seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams will still play the Australian Open despite withdrawing from her scheduled warm-up tournament in New Zealand for health reasons, according to tournament director Craig Tiley.

American Williams,

Sonny Bill Williams. Photo / AP

Senior Islamic figures here say they are disappointed that All Black Sonny Bill Williams failed to make this year's list of 500 most influential Muslims ranked by the Royal Islamic

Shane Warne with the bronze statue of himself. Photo / Getty Images

Warnie a shadow of himself
With Liz Hurley in tow, a slimmed-down Shane Warne watched as a rather paunchy statue of himself was unveiled at

Grant Fox will play a hand in selection of the All Blacks led by Richie McCaw. Photo / Getty Images

Steve Hansen's coaching staff will be announced today, with most of the mystery surrounding the appointment

Chelsea's captain John Terry. Photo / AP

England captain John Terry produced a trademark block to spare Chelsea defeat in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspurs in his first match since he was charged by UK

Nick Ward will be on the sideline for tonight's match against the Newcastle Jets. Photo / Dean Purcell

Ricki Herbert is playing "shuffle the pack" in search of Christmas joy.

The Wellington Phoenix Hyundai A-League season

Sacha Jones with the New Zealand singles trophy. Photo / Supplied

What could have been a mismatch proved to be a decent contest last night as Sacha Jones took an hour to win the NZ Tennis

Graham Henry. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Former All Black coach Graham Henry will share his experiences in a biography next year which will focus on the many turning points in his career.

Henry says the

Football Ferns captain Rebecca Smith. Photo / Greg Bowker

The Football Ferns will play world number one USA in Texas on February 11 as part of an intensive build-up for the 2012 London Olympics.

The match,

Ian Foster File photo

Former Chiefs coach Ian Foster is the new assistant coach of the All Blacks and Grant Fox is to join as a selector, it was announced today.

Former Hurricanes assistant coach and

Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts as he celebrates winning the ATP World Tour singles final. Photo / AP

The resurgent Roger Federer is primed to serve up a treat as the world's premier players jostle for

RWC booby prizes

The Rugby World Cup generated an array of booby prizes.

Given the way the Rugby World Cup dominated the sporting landscape in 2011, this column’s team, coach and player of the year are entirely predictable: the

Reid ready to race after Triathlon NZ training camp

MULTISPORT

GISBORNE Boys’ High School student Tayler Reid can’t wait to put into practice what he learned at a Triathlon New Zealand academy/athletes camp in Auckland.
The Eastland Triathlon and Multisport Club youngster said that mixing

New challenge for Tilley

VOLLEYBALL

FORMER Campion College student Julia Tilley will have a new partner and No. 1 ranking when she and Micah Lindsay-Brown compete in the International Beach Volleyball Tour starting in Hamilton next month.
Tilley, 22, had

Hokitika rugby mum honoured

By Andrew Ashton

A dedicated rugby enthusiast from Hokitika with almost a half century-long family connection to local rugby was last week made a life member of the West Coast Rugby Football Union.
Karen Burrows

GISBORNE will lose one of its most promising young golfers next year when 12-year-old Ilminster Intermediate School student Te Raumati (Tini) Hawea leaves for Rotorua Boys’ High School.
“Rotorua have a very good golf academy and

One wave the difference

SURF LIFESAVING

MIDWAY surf lifesaver Cory Taylor had ironman victory in sight when he fell off the side of a wave in the first round of the Sonic Surf series at Whangamata on Saturday.
Taylor had

Yachting: Camper loses lead to Sanya

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand. Photo / AP

Camper has lost first place in the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race to Sanya but skipper Chris Nicholson is happy with the boat's position.

The

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after scoring against Sevilla. Photo / AP

Cristiano Ronaldo smashed a hattrick as 10-man Real Madrid crushed Sevilla 6-2 to storm back to the top of La Liga and a three-point

A Daryl Corletto of the Breakers lays the ball up. Photo / Getty Images

Reigning NBL champions New Zealand have cleared out at the top following a mid-season surge, but closest challengers Perth appear to be

Katie McVean. Photo / APN

Torrential rain didn't stop Katie McVean turning on a classy performance to take the fourth round of the New Zealand World Cup series at the Christmas Classic in Taupo yesterday.

Aboard

All Black coaches and silly assumptions

Let’s not rush to judgment over the attributes needed to make a good coach.

‘I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like” is the philistine’s manifesto, the smugly defiant catch-cry of

Frenchman Bernard Lapasset has been relected as the International Rugby Board's new chairman. Photo / Greg Bowker

In the constantly changing world of Southern Hemisphere rugby, there has at least been one consistent theme in

Selecting an extra test bowler would make Jesse Ryder and the batsmen more accountable. Photo / Getty Images

Up until that historic test match victory, I was a staunch advocate of three seamers and Daniel Vettori

The Phoenix's first game was a draw with the Victory. Photo / Getty Images

Though can ever be guaranteed with the Phoenix, it is almost certain there will be plenty of drama today in Melbourne.

Similar

New All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Steve Hansen's management team will contain a major surprise when it is unveiled this week, as the new coach says there will be an external selector

Doug Bracewell is part of New Zealand bowling attack that may be able to shed the "pop gun" tag. Photo / Getty Images

It might sound ridiculous for a 21-year-old who has played only three tests,

Auckland sports fans are in for a rare treat next March, when the Black Caps and the Warriors play at Eden Park. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland sports fans are in for a rare treat next

[1] Wigan Athletic's Jordi Gomez celebrates after scoring against Chelsea. REUTERS/Phil Noble
High-flying Chelsea stumbled in the Premier League title race when a rare mistake by goalkeeper Petr Cech cost them a late goal in

New Zealand's Sean Marks. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Sean Marks has always insisted how lucky he is to be living his National Basketball Association dream but now the on-court adventure is over - and a new

South African bowler Vernon Philander celebrates after taking the winning wicket of Sri Lankan batsman Chanaka Welegedara. Photo / AP

Vernon Philander claimed his second five-wicket haul of the match as South Africa stormed to victory

South Africa's batsman AB de Villiers leaves the field after his dismissal for 99. Photo / AP

Ab de Villiers fell for 99 to a dubious catch but still helped South Africa to 389-9 and

The rate of birth defects is high in Bhopal. Photo / AP

With just over seven months to go to the London Olympics, the world's greatest sporting carnival faces its first big political challenge - the

Juan martin Fernandez Lobbe of Argentina. Photo / Getty Images

Best Game

South Africa versus Wales. This had a bit of everything: some genuinely good rugby from both teams but particularly the Welsh; controversy thanks to

Shaun Johnson and Kevin Locke of the Warriors. Photo / Getty Images

The dawn of a golden dynasty - or a bit of a stumble? The Warriors' almost entirely satisfying 2011 season would, in normal circumstances,

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