|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
- By Henry Lee, AUT Journalism Student
In another action-packed weekend of Kiwi sports, the One NZ Warriors took centre stage on Sunday, beginning their highly anticipated 2025 NRL campaign.
On Saturday afternoon, Auckland FC hosted close rivals Adelaide United, and the Blues travelled to Wellington to take on the Hurricanes.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas
The One NZ Warriors and their diehard fans travelled to Las Vegas in the United States to open up the 2025 NRL season on Sunday.
It was an ideal trip to Sin City, experiencing one of the world’s hottest tourism hotspots while watching your team play the sport you love.
Not many things sound better than that, and until the game kicked off at 1pm NZT on Sunday, most would have agreed.
It was more of the same from the Warriors, who had a disappointing NRL season in 2024, missing the top-eight playoffs by a considerable margin.
There’s hope, with four-time premiership winner James Fisher-Harris joining the team, but he could only do so much against the Raiders, where the Warriors were completely outplayed, outmuscled and smashed 30-8.
Combine that with the reports that Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar allegedly assaulted a UK journalist at halftime, and it was a less-than-ideal start for Andrew Webster’s side.
The Warriors play at home in round two of the competition, taking on the Manly Sea Eagles at Mount Smart Stadium on Friday, March 14, at 8pm.
Underwhelming Blues get under way
It took the reigning Super Rugby champions from 2024 three weeks to get on the board, but they finally got over the hump and beat a tough Hurricanes squad in Wellington.
The brutal, bruising hard-nosed Blues side from 2024 has been nowhere to be seen so far in the first three weeks, before head coach Vern Cotter made the smart decision to use his electrifying, world-class backs to win in windy Wellington.
A superb 69th-minute Mark Telea try in the corner proved to be the difference after Super Rugby Pacific MVP from last season and Howick local Hoskins Sotutu was red-carded for illegal high contact on All Blacks loose forward Peter Lakai.
The Blues’ upcoming schedule doesn’t get any easier, hosting the Brumbies at Eden Park this Friday at 7pm, looking to get another win on the board before another clash with the table-topping Chiefs.
Points shared at Auckland FC’s circus match-up
Auckland FC are getting everything right at the moment. Not only are they top of the A-League table after 17 games, but the club is bringing families and sports fans together in a way no other team has done this quickly.
On Saturday it was all about the circus, Ferris wheel and all.
There was something for everyone, a slide to keep the kids busy, while the parents could grab refreshments and watch one of the biggest games in the A-League season so far.
Auckland FC and Adelaide shared the points in their first match-up back in January, after a late equalizer from Logan Rogerson saved a point for Auckland.
On Saturday it was Adelaide’s turn to steal a point in added time, coming from behind twice to equalise in the 95th minute.
A 4-4 draw isn’t a bad result for Auckland, who sit pretty at the top of the league, eight points clear of both Western United and Adelaide United.
Dame Lydia Ko’s victory march rolls on
Two weeks ago, golfer Dame Lydia Ko was cleaning up at the Halberg Awards at Spark Arena in Auckland.
Now she’s won the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, walking away with a whopping $643,000 paycheck from winning the competition.
The victory follows on from an outstanding 2024 where the Kiwi won the British Open, and the Olympics and entered the Golf Hall of Fame.
New record set at 2025 ANZCO Foods IRONMAN
The annual New Zealand Iron Man was held in Taupo over the weekend, where Mike Phillips stormed to his third-ever title at the event, finishing at a rapid time of 7h 45m 47s in the course-best time.
Australia’s Regan Hollioake marched to her third straight Iron Man title, finishing in 8:51:30 seconds.
Hollioake won the event by a huge margin of five minutes, in front of second-placed Jocelyn McCauley from the United States.
Men’s Pro Results:
- Mike Phillips (NZL) – 7:45:47
- Joe Skipper (GBR) – 7:48:47
- Jack Moody (NZL) – 7:49:12
- Benjamin Zorgnotti (PYF) – 7:53:49
- Tim Van Berkel (AUS) – 7:56:00
Women’s Pro Results:
- Regan Hollioake (AUS) – 8:51:30
- Jocelyn McCauley (USA) – 8:56:52
- Nina Derron (CHE) – 8:57:48
- Gabrielle Lumkes (USA) – 9:08:56
- Kate Gillespie-Jones (AUS) – 9:20:00
Blackcaps lose to India before Champions Trophy semi-finals
It was basically a dead-rubber game, but the Black Caps fell to a 44-run defeat to India in the Champions Trophy group stage.
Glenn Phillips once again impressed in the field, and Kane Williamson high-scored for New Zealand, battling to 81 runs off 120 balls.
Gary Stead’s side has already qualified for the semi-finals where they will play against South Africa, but it’s not the way you want to head into a massive game on Wednesday night NZT.
There will be some question marks around selection, on a spin-heavy pitch, only having the two front-line spinners.
Semi-finals:
India v Australia – 10pm NZT Tuesday
South Africa v New Zealand – 10pm NZT Wednesday
