/news/sport/rss 九一星空无限 Thu, 19 Jun 2025 23:55:49 Z en /news/sport/black-caps-bevon-jacobs-eyes-international-debut-after-ipl-stint-with-mumbai-indians/ /news/sport/black-caps-bevon-jacobs-eyes-international-debut-after-ipl-stint-with-mumbai-indians/ Even after catching the eye of some of the most powerful people in franchise Twenty20 cricket, earning his first black cap is Bevon Jacobs’ priority. Having been a surprise pick-up by Indian Premier League (IPL) giants the Mumbai Indians late last year, Jacobs is now back in New Zealand and into winter training for Auckland, after sampling what cricket’s most lucrative tournament has to offer. The 23-year-old shared a changing room with Indian superstars Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav, as well as compatriots Trent Boult and Black Caps white ball captain Mitchell Santner. And even though Jacobs didn’t play a game while with Mumbai, the experience has left a positive imprint on the young batter. “The experience was pretty unreal,” Jacobs told the Herald. “It’s a completely different setting, a different set of challenges, and a completely different experience. “You’re in the nets, and it’s a competitive environment, you’re trying to focus, but then you know [Jasprit] Bumrah’s coming in to bowl at you. “You’re pinching yourself, he’s the best bowler in the world. Facing that is pretty surreal. “[You’re thinking] ‘wow, this is awesome, this is a great opportunity to challenge myself and learn something new. “In all fairness, he cleaned me up third ball – which is pretty funny, but it was awesome.” While breaking into an IPL team is a common feat for overseas players in 2025, Jacobs’ case of doing it before he’s played internationally is a rarity. All up, he’s played just 20 games of T20 cricket as a professional, and scored 423 runs at an average of just over 32, but at an impressive strike rate of just under 150. Jacobs’ game is largely based on power. At over six feet tall, he possesses the levers and strength to clear just about any boundary in the shortest format, as well as the ability to hit off the front and back foot. Bevon Jacobs raises his bat for a half-century against Northern Districts. Photo / Photosport As he matures as a cricketer, and as a batter in particular, Jacobs’ ability to clear the ropes will make him a sought-after commodity – for both club and country. So much so that the Black Caps even called him into their T20 squad to face Sri Lanka over the new year, even if he wasn’t picked in New Zealand’s 2-1 series win. As yet another South African-born player in New Zealand’s player pool, Jacobs is more BJ Watling than Devon Conway. His family relocated when he was a youth, meaning there’s no doubt as to where his loyalties lie as far as the Black Caps v Proteas goes. While there was never any doubt in how much Jacobs knew he wanted to play international cricket, being that close has only reinforced how badly he wants to wear the silver fern. And even though he can’t say for certain if he’s any closer to representing New Zealand, Jacobs knows nothing will speak louder than performing for Auckland. “I’ve had some good conversations with some players and coaches, I know where I need to get to. “You can’t answer if you’re close or far, but I’d like to think I can keep doing what I’m doing, chipping away and backing myself, put runs on the board, and it’ll happen. “The want for me is really there. I’ve just got to keep working and we’ll see what happens. “Hopefully it’s this season, but you never know.” Given Jacobs’ career so far, it would be easy to label him as a T20, if not white ball specialist. But that isn’t the case. After his maiden call-up, Black Caps chief selector Sam Wells emphasised that Jacobs is “more than just a hitter”. In March, after Central Districts racked up a gargantuan 700/5 declared against Auckland in the Plunket Shield, Jacobs responded with 157 – his maiden first-class century – to help save the game. Even if he’s managed only five red-ball games in his career to date, though, Jacobs makes it clear he sees himself as more than just a short-form specialist. “All formats is something that’s really important for me. I spoke with Rob Nicol, the Auckland coach, a lot about how red ball helps my white-ball game. We worked hard on that because that’s where you get your base from. Bevon Jacobs bats for Auckland. Photo / Photosport “In the long run, I want to be a three-format player. I want that for New Zealand as well. I want to play test cricket. “Having all three definitely helps each other. I’m not a white ball specialist or anything like that. It’s cool to have been picked up by [Mumbai], and they see something with my white-ball ability, same with New Zealand in the T20 series. “But over the long run, I want to be a three-format player.” Jacobs’ trajectory, though, comes at an interesting time in the sport. Given the huge sums of money on offer in franchise T20 competitions, cricketers are repeatedly having to choose between club and country, given the inability of the game’s administrators to find a balance between the two. This month, South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen and West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran prematurely ended their international careers to focus on T20 leagues. For Jacobs, that would also be a very realistic possibility. As part of the Mumbai Indians, he’s able to put himself in the shop window for the organisation’s other teams. Aside from the IPL, the Mumbai Indians also own teams in South Africa’s SA20, the UAE’s ILT20, and American Major League Cricket, as well as their owners having a 49% stake in English “The Hundred” outfit the Oval Invincibles. It’s a world Jacobs has already experienced. After Auckland’s early elimination from last season’s Super Smash, Jacobs jetted off to the Middle East to play three games for MI Emirates, before returning to New Zealand. But even with the lure of millions of dollars as a T20 gun for hire, Jacobs understands that doing well for his country will increase those chances. “It’s something that everyone can see is happening, and the thought pops into your head. But for me, my dream was always to play for New Zealand. “That T20 circuit is interesting, and it’s an enticing route. But the people who always perform the best in those tournaments are people that perform in international cricket. “For me, that’s my goal. I want to play for New Zealand for as long as I can. If those opportunities present themselves in that time, that’s awesome. “But I don’t think going from MI team to MI team is really the goal for me at the moment, as much as I would appreciate [it] if they saw me as that kind of player.” Potentially aiding Jacobs’ push for a Black Caps spot is that it’s a time of significant change for the team. Rob Walter has succeeded Gary Stead as head coach, as the team usher in a new era. Like Jacobs, Walter was born in South Africa but now calls New Zealand home. Bevon Jacobs bats for Auckland in the Plunket Shield. Photo / Photosport And as Walter assesses the lie of the land before his job truly begins – coincidentally against the same South Africa side he just left – later this year, the 49-year-old has already been in touch with Jacobs. “I’ve had a couple of chats with Rob. We’ve talked about my game a little bit and he’s given me some insights,” says Jacobs. “It was good to chat with him and work with him a little bit to see how we can build on that relationship. “It’s only been brief, but I look forward to seeing more of him, hopefully, in the future. I think it’s pretty exciting.” Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016. Thu, 19 Jun 2025 02:27:34 Z /news/sport/super-rugby-pacific-grand-final-crusaders-v-chiefs-live-commentary-on-gold-sport/ /news/sport/super-rugby-pacific-grand-final-crusaders-v-chiefs-live-commentary-on-gold-sport/ The road to this year’s Super Rugby Pacific title runs through Christchurch as the Crusaders face off against the Chiefs.  The Chiefs will be hoping to end the Crusaders’ 31-game home-playoff winning streak, while the Crusaders will be aiming to claim their 15th title.   Gold Sport will be bringing you live commentary of the Grand Final, with Jason Pine on from 6pm Saturday, building up the energy before the game kicks off.  Nick Bewley, John Haggart, and Craig Kerr will be taking over the mic at 7pm, bringing you all the on-field action live from Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch.  LISTEN LIVE SATURDAY FROM 6PM  Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:36:04 Z /news/sport/dame-lydia-ko-hints-at-olympic-future-ahead-of-opportunity-to-complete-lpga-grand-slam/ /news/sport/dame-lydia-ko-hints-at-olympic-future-ahead-of-opportunity-to-complete-lpga-grand-slam/ As Dame Lydia Ko looks to compete this week for her fourth major championship win, she has suggested winning gold at last year’s Paris Olympics was her Games swansong. The LPGA Hall of Famer will tee off at the Women’s PGA Championship this week, looking to better the second-placed finish she had in 2016. The major is one of the sport’s biggest tournaments that the 28-year-old Kiwi is yet to win, along with the US Open, where her best result is a tie for third, which also came in 2016. Last year, Ko earned her place in the Hall of Fame when she claimed the gold medal in Paris – accumulating the last of the 27 points needed and ending a seven-month stretch of consistent questions about being so close to the achievement. At the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a new mixed format is set to be introduced, with a male and a female player teaming up to represent their country, provided the nation has qualified athletes in both the men’s and women’s individual events. At first thought, Ko and Ryan Fox would seem like the clear pairing for New Zealand. But while Ko was interested in the format, she said she wasn’t likely to be involved in it. “I think in Paris we were both like, ‘oh, this is probably our last Olympics’. I said Paris was probably going to be my last one,” she said. Lydia Ko with her gold medal in Paris. Photo / Photosport “I think it’s a really fun format to have that mixed team event. I don’t think I’ll be competing in that one, but it’s a great way to integrate the sport. “I think golf has been back in the Olympics long enough now that I think we can change it up. I’m excited to see it and I think it gives opportunities for people that may have not medalled individually to kind of go for a team event. “It’s super exciting. Whether I play in it or not is not really the big thing, but I think it’s great for our sport.” That tournament is, however, years away. For now, the current world No 3 has her sights set on Fields Ranch East in Frisco, Texas – a state she admits she hasn’t performed particularly well in. A win this week would see Ko complete her career LPGA grand slam, which recognises players to have won four majors. Although the LPGA Tour now includes five majors, the organisation made the decision that a grand slam would constitute four wins as to not make the accomplishment harder to achieve or alter the discussion around it. Instead, players who win five majors are acknowledged as completing a super career grand slam. “In all honesty, I’ve not really played well in the state of Texas, but this is my favourite course in Texas yet,” Ko said. “I think there is always time for a change, and I think if you go down the hole of saying, okay, I’ve only won in California or I’ve only won in Florida, you’re kind of putting pressure and doubt in your own mind. Yeah, there’s always opportunity for wins. “At the same time, there’s 156 players and as long as you’re competing, you have that chance to be out here. I think that’s the great thing about this golf course, is even if you were local to the area, I don’t think you’re that familiar to this golf course. It’s a pretty level playing field. “I think it doesn’t matter if you’ve seen the golf course 100 times or once. If you’re playing good and hitting good-quality golf shots, I think that’s what matters most at the end of the day.” Wed, 18 Jun 2025 03:51:26 Z /news/sport/crusaders-v-chiefs-james-o-connor-confirms-super-rugby-pacific-final-will-be-last-match-for-crusaders/ /news/sport/crusaders-v-chiefs-james-o-connor-confirms-super-rugby-pacific-final-will-be-last-match-for-crusaders/ James O’Connor is aiming to bow out of the Crusaders as a Super Rugby Pacific champion, after confirming Saturday’s final against the Chiefs is his last for the Christchurch franchise. The former Wallabies utility has played a key role for the Crusaders’ resurgence this season, playing in 15 of their matches, primarily off the bench, where he’s been tasked with closing out matches. One of his highlights was kicking the game-winning penalty goal to claim a 25-22 round 10 win over the Blues. Surprisingly, this will be O’Connor’s first Super Rugby final, having made his debut back in 2008 with the Western Force, while he has also featured for the now defunct Melbourne Rebels and the Queensland Reds. He also had previous stints in England and France. The 34-year-old said the plan was always to stick around for one campaign. There had been talks to extend for another season, but he didn’t want to stand in the way of Rivez Reihana and Taha Kemara. While O’Connor can’t say what’s next, he’s been widely linked with a move to the Leicester Tigers in the English Premiership. “It’ll be my last game for the Crusaders,” said O’Connor. “It’s been an awesome journey. It’s time for the old fella to move on. We’ll see what’s next. I’m loving my footy and feel in a good place physically and mentally, so I just want to keep playing at the top level.” O’Connor is Australian born, but did spend some of his youth in Auckland, with his parents hailing from New Zealand. Having turned down a deal to stay with the Reds, he was on holiday in New Zealand when he got a call from Crusaders coach Rob Penney. It didn’t take much convincing for him to put pen to paper. O’Connor has only started one game, a loss to Moana Pasifika, and he admits it took time to adjust to being the impact player. “You always want to be the starting guy, but after preseason, feeling the pace of our game, it started to make sense,” said O’Connor. “After playing a few games, I got a feel for it, how we play, where I could add the most value, and that turned out to be off the bench. “Coming on in the last 10, 20, sometimes 30 minutes, putting the ball in front of the forwards and giving the team what’s needed, it’s been beautiful.” O’Connor has signalled to the GBRANZ Podcast his intention is to push to play for the Wallabies again, in next month’s British and Irish Lions tour. The Crusaders and Chiefs will name their teams at 4pm on Wednesday afternoon. Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news. Tue, 17 Jun 2025 04:29:11 Z /news/sport/olympic-champ-jakob-ingebrigtsen-s-father-acquitted-of-abusing-son/ /news/sport/olympic-champ-jakob-ingebrigtsen-s-father-acquitted-of-abusing-son/ A Norway court has acquitted Gjert Ingebrigtsen of abusing his son, Olympic champion runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, but convicted him and handed him a 15-day suspended sentence for assaulting his daughter on one occasion.  Gjert Ingebrigtsen, 59, acted as trainer until 2022 to Jakob, 24, who won Olympic gold in the 5000m in Paris in 2024 and the 1500m in Tokyo in 2021.  He was accused of physical and psychological violence against Jakob and his sister Ingrid, 19, between 2008 and 2022, but denied the charges.  At the conclusion of the lengthy trial that lasted from March 24 to May 15 at the Sandnes court, he was acquitted of the abuse alleged by Jakob.  The court however found him guilty of one violent incident involving his daughter Ingrid.  In her testimony, Ingrid told the court her father hit her in the face with a wet towel in January 2022 – a picture taken that day showed her with a red cheek.  He said he was aiming for her finger, which she was pointing at him during a row.  In addition to a 15-day suspended prison sentence, Ingebrigtsen snr was ordered to pay Ingrid 10,000 kroner (NZ$2557) in damages.  Prosecutors had called for him to be jailed for two and a half years.  “They didn’t say they were disappointed. They said they were surprised,” Mette Yvonne Larsen, Jakob’s and Ingrid’s lawyer, told reporters when describing her clients’ reactions to the verdict.  Meanwhile, the accused’s lawyers noted that “what was decisive for the court’s conclusion was the lack of evidence proving that Gjert Ingebrigtsen had instilled constant fear in his children”.  “The court specifically highlighted that several close family members as well as external witnesses had neither observed nor witnessed mistreatment,” they said in a statement.  The parties have 14 days to appeal the verdict.  Throughout the trial, Jakob referred to his father as “the accused” and told the court he stopped calling him “dad” at the age of 11 or 12.  “My upbringing was very much characterised by fear,” he told the court.  “I felt like I had no free choice and I wasn’t allowed to speak my mind. Everything was controlled and decided for me. An enormous amount of manipulation,” he said.  He recounted several episodes of physical violence, including slaps and kicks to the stomach, some of which occurred when he was 7 years old.  Ingebrigtsen snr has called the trial a “textbook case of character assassination”.  He told the court he had been an “overly protective” father who had given his seven children a “traditional and patriarchal” upbringing.  He was keen to contribute to their success but received only ingratitude in return, he said.  Jakob and two of his brothers, Henrik and Filip, who are also athletes, shocked Norway in October 2023 when they used a newspaper article to accuse their father of using physical violence during their upbringing.  The police investigated claims about all seven Ingebrigtsen siblings but retained only those relating to Jakob and Ingrid.  Jakob – who claimed the 1500m and 3000m world indoor titles right before the opening of the trial in March – with Henrik and Filip cut ties with their father in 2022.  On the final day of the trial, Jakob told the court the proceedings had “profound and heartbreaking consequences” for the siblings regardless of the verdict.  “We have known that from the beginning, but it was nonetheless important to tell our story,” he said.  -AFP Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:32:46 Z /news/sport/women-s-euros-2025-not-airing-in-new-zealand-as-broadcasters-decline-rights/ /news/sport/women-s-euros-2025-not-airing-in-new-zealand-as-broadcasters-decline-rights/ New Zealand football fans will be unable to watch the Uefa European Women’s Championship next month as Kiwi broadcasters have declined the opportunity to stream the event. The pinnacle European football tournament in Switzerland, starting on July 3, will stream across 138 countries, including 44 in Europe – but New Zealand, Japan, China, South Korea, Indonesia and the other Pacific Island nations have missed out. It comes two years after Aotearoa co-hosted the Fifa Women’s World Cup with Australia, breaking significant attendance records and garnering increased interest in the women’s game. TVNZ+ – which broadcast the men’s Euros last year – told the Herald it opted not to pursue the women’s equivalent at this time. “For TVNZ as a free, commercially funded broadcaster, we’re not in a position to be able to secure all sports rights. We pick and choose, and our decisions will always be based on what rights are available in market, where we can support local, and what our audience would like to see.” Sky Sport, which secured the broadcast rights to the Women’s Fifa World Cup in 2023, said: “As with all rights decisions, we consider a variety of factors to ensure we are making choices that make financial and strategic sense.” Sky said the significant time zone difference between Switzerland and New Zealand was a key consideration when assessing the “potential viewership and engagement”. The comment contradicts their broadcast of this month’s men’s Uefa Nations League, where kickoff was at 7am. The Euros group stage fixtures are scheduled mainly for 4am and 7am NZT. Warner Bros Discovery, which operates Three NOW, also told the Herald it didn’t consider owning the coverage. Uefa – which has been approached for comment – is reporting that this tournament is expected to be the most impactful yet, following an unprecedented event in England three years ago. It is anticipating a total attendance of 550,000 fans, with roughly 137,000 of them being international fans. It’s expected to deliver €192 million ($319m) of activity to the Swiss economy. The final in 2022 between England and Germany at Wembley saw 87,192 spectators, the largest crowd ever for a Women’s Euro match. Aitana Bonmatí (Spain), Alexia Putellas (Spain), Alessia Russo (England), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands) and Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway) are all set to star in the 2025 edition. Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí will look to carry Spain to more silverware. Photo / Photosport England’s Lionesses, the defending champions and World Cup runners-up, have been placed in Group D. Touted as the pool of death, they’ll take on France, the Netherlands and Wales. Group A is made up of hosts, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Finland. World Champions Spain are in Group B with Portugal, Belgium and Italy. Germany, Denmark, Poland and Sweden make up Group C. Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the 九一星空无限 sports team. She was named New Zealand’s Best Up and Coming journalist in 2025. She’s a football commentator and co-host of the Football Fever podcast and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a fulltime journalist. Mon, 16 Jun 2025 04:18:59 Z /news/sport/shane-van-gisbergen-secures-victory-in-inaugural-nascar-race-in-mexico-city/ /news/sport/shane-van-gisbergen-secures-victory-in-inaugural-nascar-race-in-mexico-city/ Nascar Cup playoffs after securing a historic win in the inaugural race in Mexico City. The 36-year-old started on pole and led for 60 laps at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, to claim his second career win in the Cup series, following his triumph at the Chicago Street Race in his debut race in 2023. The race was the first points-paying race outside of the United States since 1958, adding to the moment for van Gisbergen. The race was impacted by weather, which went under a yellow flag caution on six occasions as drivers struggled with a slippery track. After crossing the line 16s ahead of his nearest opponent, van Gisbergen did some burnouts before booting a rugby ball inside the stands. “What a week, I’ve really enjoyed myself,” said van Gisbergen. “I felt pretty rubbish today, leaking out both holes. That wasn’t fun.” The win lifts van Gisbergen up to 30th in the Cup standings, having only secured one top-10 finish through prior to winning in Mexico. The Trackhouse Racing driver said it was one of his best ever races. “I’ve been privileged to have some great ones in my time, but when I go slow I lose concentration so I was just trying to stay in a rhythm and a routine,” said van Gisbergen. “Josh [Williams] and Stephen [Doran] were doing a great job keeping me calm and focused. Man, that was epic.” Last season was van Gisbergen’s first full year based in the United States, where he split his time between the Cup series and the second tier Xfinity series, where he won three races. Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:36:50 Z /news/sport/formula-1-lewis-hamilton-devastated-after-hitting-groundhog-in-canada-race/ /news/sport/formula-1-lewis-hamilton-devastated-after-hitting-groundhog-in-canada-race/ Lewis Hamilton said he felt devastated after learning that he had hit and killed a groundhog, damaging his Ferrari car, on his way to finishing sixth in the Canadian Grand Prix. Hamilton, who owns a French bulldog called Roscoe that is often seen with him at Grands Prix, said he did not see the groundhog and felt that the incident reduced the performance of his car after a bright start this morning. “It was feeling pretty decent up until then,” said the seven-time world champion. “I got a good start, I held position and I was holding onto the leading group. “I was managing the tyres well, so I was feeling optimistic. “I didn’t see it happen, but I heard I hit a groundhog. That’s devastating because I love animals and I’m so sad about it. It’s horrible. “That’s never happened to me before here, but the floor - basically the right-side - there was a hole in it. “Given that, and we had a brake issue halfway through as well, and then we probably stayed out too long in the first stop and came out behind traffic... it went from one thing to another.” After going 10 races without a podium this season for the first time in his Formula One career, having joined Ferrari, Hamilton was expressing mounting frustration at the team’s disappointing start to the year. “I’m grateful that I finished, particularly with the brake issue I had. We are really in need of an upgrade, but there are a lot of things that need to change in order for us to compete at the front.” Team-mate Charles Leclerc finished fifth despite missing much of Saturday’s practice after crashing in the opening session, but said he was frustrated by how his race had unfolded. Sun, 15 Jun 2025 23:32:36 Z /news/sport/all-blacks-v-france-inexperienced-french-squad-set-to-feature-in-test-series/ /news/sport/all-blacks-v-france-inexperienced-french-squad-set-to-feature-in-test-series/ France coach Fabien Galthié has named an inexperienced initial 28-man squad for July’s test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand, according to French newspaper L’Equipe. The group of players will play in a France A v England A game this weekend before departing to New Zealand next Tuesday. Thirteen of the players are uncapped, while of the 15 who are, centre Gaël Fickou, winger Romain Taofifenua, and prop Rabah Slimani are the only ones who have featured in over 50 tests, while 10 of them have fewer than 10 caps. The team doesn’t feature players from Bayonne, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Toulon who are taking part in the French Top 14 semifinals this weekend. Players from the losing sides will be added before the team departs, while a maximum of five will be included from the Top 14 final, which takes place on June 28, but they will only be available for the second and third tests. But those players can’t have played more than 2000 minutes across the season and the clubs must agree to release them, only adding to the complications. There are reports that Romain Ntamack is set to miss the series, as he requires knee surgery. A final group of 42 players will be in New Zealand. The first test gets under way on July 5 in Dunedin with matches in Wellington and Hamilton to follow. French squad: Props: Baptiste Erdocio, Demba Bamba, Paul Mallez, Régis Montagne, Rabah Slimani Hookers: Gaëtan Barlot, Guillaume Marchand Locks: Hugo Auradou, Tyler Duguid, Mickaël Guillard, Romain Taofifenua Loose forwards: Alexandre Fischer, Killian Tixeront, Jacobus van Tonder, Théo William, Cameron Woki Halfbacks: Thibault Daubagna, Baptiste Jauneau, Nolann Le Garrec First-fives: Léo Berdeu, Antoine Hastoy Midfield: Alivereti Duguivalu, Gaël Fickou, Émilien Gailleton, Théo Millet Back three: Théo Attissogbé, Maël Moustin, Léo Barré Sun, 15 Jun 2025 22:53:08 Z /news/sport/fifa-club-world-cup-bayern-munich-vs-auckland-city-world-reacts/ /news/sport/fifa-club-world-cup-bayern-munich-vs-auckland-city-world-reacts/ Auckland City kept England star Harry Kane goalless, but his Bayern Munich teammates bagged 10. Here’s what football media around the world had to say: ‘Further questions about the new format’    Matthew Howarth, BBC The decision to expand the Club World Cup from seven to 32 teams this summer has already led to legal complaints from players’ union Fifpro and the World Leagues Association. But the chasm in class between Bayern and Auckland on Sunday is likely to raise further questions about the new format. Winners of the Oceania Champions League in each of the past four years, Auckland have made it to the tournament on that merit, but upsetting the 34-time German champions was always going to be a tall order – to put it very mildly – for a team comprising teachers, students and real estate agents. Auckland’s hopes of an almighty upset were all but extinguished by Coman’s early opener, and had it not been for several smart saves from goalkeeper Tracey they would have lost by an even heavier margin. Kingsley Coman of Bayern Munich celebrates after his goal against Auckland City FC. Photo / Getty Images ‘Genuinely never gave up’ Frank Mo, Bavarian Football Works Auckland City actually started well into the game by remaining compact and kept the Bavarians from creating many real chances. Even when the Bavarians opened the scoring in the 6th minute, the goal came from a set piece and did not open the floodgates. Instead, the team from New Zealand managed to stay sturdy a little while longer and forced Bayern to pass around the 18-yard box without much success. Bayern were consistently forced to launch aimless crosses into the box. It would be churlish to claim that the players could be proud of themselves after that match. After all, they had just lost 10-0, which is the new record for the biggest loss in the competition. But their early resistance was admirable and they genuinely never gave up. These players were clearly happy to be here despite everything, and it showed. ‘There is some mitigation’ The Guardian The good news for Auckland City was that they stopped Harry Kane scoring on Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati. The bad news was that his Bayern Munich teammates were a little more prolific, scoring 10 between them in the opening match of their Club World Cup campaign. If Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, was hoping his expanded Club World Cup – now containing 32 teams, playing across four weeks in 11 US cities – would showcase the depth of talent in global football, this was not a good example. The statistics were excruciating: the German champions had 31 shots – 17 of them on target – to Auckland’s one, and enjoyed 72% of possession. There is some mitigation. While many argue that talent has been diluted by expanding the number of teams at this tournament, Auckland City have been a feature of the Club World Cup for some time: they have actually played at more editions than any other team. On the other hand, they’re not even the best team in Auckland, let alone New Zealand. Auckland City are part-timers, and the city’s professional team, Auckland FC, play in Australia’s A-League. ‘Group of death’ Tom Morgan, The Telegraph Auckland’s squad is made up of forklift drivers, a fizzy drinks salesman, real estate agents and a warehouse manager. Predictably, the 4957th side in the Opta world rankings were reduced to just one chance the entire match against the rampant Bundesliga champions. For Auckland, there will be little to take encouragement from ahead of the remainder of their group of death, in which they also face Benfica and Boca Juniors, with several of the New Zealand team’s players not able to travel to America because of their work requirements back home. Auckland never got a foothold in the game in stifling temperatures, with Sacha Boey crashing home Coman’s knockdown on the half-volley to double Bayern’s advantage 12 minutes later. ‘A mismatch for the ages’ Manuel Veth, Forbes There would be no surprise underdog story on the second day of the Fifa Club World Cup as Bayern Munich smashed the OFC Champions League winners Auckland City FC 10-0 at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. According to Transfermarkt, it is the biggest win by any team since the introduction of the Fifa Club World Cup. That record, however, stretches back to the old format. Either way, the result was to be expected. After all, the two teams have the largest gulf in terms of Transfermarkt squad value among all teams at the tournament. While Auckland City has a combined market value of just €4.58 million ($5.29 million), Bayern’s total squad value is €903.5 million ($1.04 billion) the fifth highest among all teams at the Fifa Club World Cup. Bayern Munich vs Auckland City lived up to its billing as a mismatch for the ages as the kings of German football romped to the biggest victory in Club World Cup history in Cincinnati. Harry Kane takes a shot as Michael Den Heijer defends. Photo / Getty Images ‘Makes a mockery of the tournament’ Jordan Campbell, New York Times From the very start, it was clear that this was going to be a cricket score. Watching such an uncompetitive game take place at a competition billed as the 32 best teams in the world is a clear contradiction and calls into question whether it makes a mockery of the tournament. It will have doubtlessly felt a tad embarrassing for Auckland’s players, even if they know they are part-timers up against elite multimillionaires with access to the best facilities, but the alternative argument is that this is what true worldwide representation means. Sun, 15 Jun 2025 22:33:03 Z /news/sport/formula-1-result-power-unit-issue-sees-liam-lawson-forced-to-retire-in-canadian-grand-prix/ /news/sport/formula-1-result-power-unit-issue-sees-liam-lawson-forced-to-retire-in-canadian-grand-prix/ It was another case of what could have been for Liam Lawson and Racing Bulls, as the Kiwi was forced to retire from Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix. Having started from pit lane after qualifying in 19th place, Lawson got through 55 of the 70 lap race at Montreal’s Circuit de Giles Villeneuve, before he was called into the pits by his team due to a power unit issue. Ironically, though, having changed his power unit before the race itself, Lawson’s new engine ultimately proved to be his undoing, as Racing Bulls made the call to not risk further damage. The result caps a frustrating weekend for the Kiwi, who had been fast in both Friday practice sessions, but couldn’t escape from the first session of qualifying one day later. “Sorry, mate,” Lawson’s race engineer Ernesto Desiderio was heard saying. “It’s a hard day and this is the cherry on top, But we had to take care of this [power unit]. “We had a sudden loss of pressure at one point, nothing big, but we couldn’t keep running.” The Kiwi had done well to manage his first set of tyres for 39 laps but pitted at the wrong time to make a one-stop strategy work, which left him with little chance to push for points, even before his power unit woes. “It’s disappointing,” said Lawson post-race. “Obviously it was going to be a difficult race anyway, from the pit lane. “It’s just been a tough, tough weekend, which is a shame. “Yesterday was a pretty specific thing we struggled with in qualifying, but the pace of the car was actually quite good. “What happened in the race today is a little bit out of our control. “It’s a shame, but we have to keep resetting and look ahead.” At the front of the grid, Mercedes’ George Russell converted pole position into his first win of 2025, on a weekend that could prove to be a dramatic shift in the title race. While Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed second place, McLaren’s fortunes were hit by neither of their two drivers finishing on the podium for the first time this year. Having been forced to manage their two drivers’ chances all season, Lando Norris’ race was ended by a collision with teammate and world championship leader Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth. Team bosses Zak Brown and Andrea Stella have been adamant all season they will not prefer one driver over the other. However, after favouring Norris to end 2024, McLaren might find themselves having to back one driver over the other for the rest of this season. Eighteen-year-old Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took third place, making him the third-youngest driver to stand on a Formula 1 podium. The result saw Piastri increase his championship lead to 22 points from his teammate, given Norris’ failure to finish. Verstappen is a further 43 points back from Piastri, as he bids for a fifth drivers title in succession. Lawson also drops from 17th to 18th in the standings, after Fernando Alonso earned six points for finishing seventh. In the constructors championship, McLaren moved 191 points clear of second place, as Russell’s win saw Mercedes overtake Ferrari for second. Meanwhile, Lawson’s Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar crossed the line 16th in what proved to be a disappointing weekend for the team. As the 18 drivers who started on track avoided any chaos on the opening lap, Lawson held 19th place at the start of the second, and got to work in reeling in the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll. With track temperatures in the high 40s, all drivers faced a choice of pushing to overtake, or playing it safe to preserve their tyres. Lawson chose the latter, as his gap to Stroll became more than a second, and gave the Canadian breathing room in his home race, even if the Kiwi was under no immediate danger from Pierre Gasly’s Alpine behind him. However, at the start of the 11th lap, drivers on medium tyres began to complain of degradation. And with Lawson starting on hards, the first set of stops saw him climb to 16th, getting past Hadjar, Franco Colapinto of Alpine and Alonso’s Aston Martin as they all pitted. By the time the last of the drivers who started on mediums pitted, Lawson had climbed to 14th – albeit having lost a place to the fresher tyres of Alonso. Lawson’s patience paid off on lap 25, as Stroll was forced to pit for the first time having pushed too hard on his first set of tyres, but was still forced to defend Gasly, who stayed within a second of the Kiwi. While Lawson held off the challenge of Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber got past the pair of them, given his tyres were 19 laps fresher than both after his first stop, before Colapinto did the same on lap 38, and relegated the Kiwi to 15th. On lap 39, Lawson finally pitted, and emerged in 20th on a set of medium tyres, more than 17 seconds behind Alex Albon’s Williams. But despite clean air in front and fresh tyres underneath, Lawson didn’t push on the medium tyres, but got past Albon on lap 48 when the Williams was forced to retire with a power unit issue. A 10-second penalty for Stroll saw Lawson climb up to 18th, only for the Kiwi’s race to end early after the retirement. The Formula 1 season will now take a weekend off, before returning with the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg at the end of June. Canadian Grand Prix finishing order George Russell - MercedesMax Verstappen - Red BullKimi Antonelli - MercedesOscar Piastri - McLarenCharles Leclerc - FerrariLewis Hamilton - FerrariFernando Alonso - Aston MartinNico Hulkenberg - SauberEsteban Ocon - HaasCarlos Sainz - WilliamsOllie Bearman - HaasYuki Tsunoda - Red BullFranco Colapinto - AlpineGabriel Bortoleto - SauberPierre Gasly - AlpineIsack Hadjar - Racing BullsLance Stroll - Aston MartinDid not finish: Lando Norris - McLaren, Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls, Alex Albon - Williams Sun, 15 Jun 2025 22:18:10 Z /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-cards-three-over-third-round-at-oakmont-country-club/ /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-cards-three-over-third-round-at-oakmont-country-club/ After confirming his place in the championship rounds at the US Open, Ryan Fox had the same thing to say about Oakmont Country Club as several of his competitors. “Oakmont is hard,” he posted on social media. And playing in the weekend rounds at a major for his 10th straight appearance across golf’s top four tournaments, Fox fought with the famed course near Pittsburgh. The Kiwi carded a three-over-par 73 in his third round to fall to eight-over for the tournament. At the time his round finished, Fox sat in a tie for 41st, but that was likely to change with players still on the course. With a morning tee time and paired with friend Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, Fox’s fight with the course began early. After a couple of pars, the course landed the first blow against the 38-year-old, who couldn’t quite scramble away after sending his drive into the Church Pews bunker and carded a double bogey. Fox countered immediately though. With birdies on the fourth, fifth and sixth holes – par five, four and three respectively – Fox found himself a one-under-par for the round and threatening to break well inside the top 20. However, wayward drives on the seventh and ninth saw Fox battling with the rough, giving shots back to the course with a bogey and another double bogey to sit two-over at the turn. The back nine was less eventful on the scorecard for Fox, who parred all but the par-four 15th, where he paid for sending his second shot into the backside green bunker. He left himself a look at par with about a 3m putt, but the greens at Oakmont have been tricky all week and he wasn’t able to avoid dropping a shot. It was the second round in a row that Fox had posted a 73, but with players struggling to go under par this week, there remains plenty of movement to be seen on the leaderboard as the final round plays out tomorrow. Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits. Sat, 14 Jun 2025 21:31:33 Z /news/sport/formula-1-liam-lawson-struggles-in-canadian-grand-prix-qualifying-posts-19th-fastest-time-in-montreal/ /news/sport/formula-1-liam-lawson-struggles-in-canadian-grand-prix-qualifying-posts-19th-fastest-time-in-montreal/ Liam Lawson will need plenty to go his way if he’s to take anything from Formula One’s Canadian Grand Prix, after qualifying in 19th place in Montreal. The Kiwi suffered another exit in the first session of qualifying (Q1) at the Circuit de Giles Villeneuve, and was just 0.140s away from advancing to the second (Q2). “What the hell just happened? I have no idea,” Lawson said to his race engineer Ernesto Desiderio after his exit. At the very least, Lawson will start 18th, after Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda was handed a 10-place grid penalty for overtaking Oscar Piastri under a red flag during practice, seeing his qualifying position of 11th become 20th. Lawson’s Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar managed to qualify ninth, but could face punishment for impeding Williams’ Carlos Sainz in Q1. A year after George Russell claimed pole position over Max Verstappen despite both setting an identical time, the Mercedes driver claimed it outright, bettering the world champion by 0.160s, as the duo locked out the front row for the second Canadian Grand Prix in a row. Russell is the first driver besides Verstappen or the two McLaren cars to qualify on pole this season. World championship leader Piastri will start third, and is joined on the front row by Russell’s Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. The result is Lawson’s lowest qualifying performance since this year’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, where he qualified in 20th position and started from pit lane. That, though, came in the troublesome RB21 car, before his in-season demotion that saw Tsunoda take his place at Red Bull, with Lawson returning to current side Racing Bulls. Lawson’s struggles in qualifying continues a worrying trend for the Kiwi. The last three race weekends have seen him impress in Friday practices, with five top 10 finishes from six attempts, but only qualify higher than 11th once, coming in Monaco. Cognizant of the risk of being caught in traffic in his attempt to post a push lap time, Lawson slightly delayed his exit from the Racing Bulls garage, but was able to post a first time of 1m 13.049s, to temporarily sit seventh. Admittedly, that first Q1 effort came before all 20 drivers had completed a push lap, as Lawson dropped to 16th - and into the drop zone - by the time that was the case. As Lawson crossed the line for a second time, and improved to a lap of 1m 12.678s, the Kiwi moved up to 10th, and was 0.240s clear of an early exit. With just over five minutes left in Q1, damage to Alex Albon’s Williams engine cover came unstuck and left debris on the track to trigger a red flag. That, though, only caused a logjam of cars once the session resumed, and left drivers at serious risk of being stuck in traffic. Lawson left the garage with just over three minutes left on the clock in Q1, as he was pushed down to 14th by drivers behind him improving their times, with a margin of 0.202s keeping him from the drop. And while Lawson was able to improve his time to 1m 12.525s - his best effort of the weekend so far - it wasn’t good enough to earn a place in Q2, as the Kiwi set the 19th-fastest time. Earlier, Lawson’s final attempt at practice was interrupted by a red flag, with the Kiwi just five laps into his last chance to come to terms with the track. Piastri clipped the wall at turn 14, lost his rear suspension, and triggered a temporary stoppage before qualifying. Following two top-10 finishes in Friday practice, Lawson’s best time of 1m 12.791s was just under a second off the pace set by Norris, and 0.140s off Hadjar. FP3 saw Lawson miss the top 10 by just 0.218s. That mark was good enough for 13th place, having registered two top 10 practice finishes on Friday local time. However, that time was also 0.40s slower than Lawson’s best effort in FP2, 1m 12.751s. Interestingly, Lawson completed all three practice sessions without using the hard tyre, which will likely be the compound of choice for the Grand Prix. The Canadian Grand Prix begins at 6am (NZT) on Monday. Canadian Grand Prix qualifying results George Russell - Mercedes Max Verstappen - Red Bull Oscar Piastri - McLaren Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin Lando Norris - McLaren Charles Leclerc - Ferrari Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls Alex Albon - Williams Yuki Tsunoda - Red Bull, 10-place grid penalty Franco Colapinto - Alpine Nico Hulkenberg - Sauber Ollie Bearman - Haas Esteban Ocon - Haas Gabriel Bortoleto - Sauber Carlos Sainz - Williams Lance Stroll - Aston Martin Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls Pierre Gasly - Alpine Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016. Sat, 14 Jun 2025 21:25:11 Z /news/sport/steven-adams-signs-65m-extension-with-houston-rockets-report/ /news/sport/steven-adams-signs-65m-extension-with-houston-rockets-report/ Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams is staying with the Houston Rockets after reportedly signing a three-year extension worth US$39m ($64.93m). Adams was off contract this season but according to ESPN, he will remain in Houston after being traded to the Rockets from the Memphis Grizzlies last February. The centre missed the 2023-24 season but played a key role this season as the Rockets finished second in the Western Conference before falling to the Golden State Warriors in the first round. Adams, 32, made his NBA debut in 2013 and a three-year deal would see him in the league until 2028. According to Basketball Reference, Adams has already earned around US$159m ($264.7m) across his career to date. This new deal would take him over the $300m mark. Sat, 14 Jun 2025 20:38:54 Z /news/sport/ex-international-ponsonby-rugby-club-player-s-desperate-plea-as-western-springs-stadium-consultation-nears-end/ /news/sport/ex-international-ponsonby-rugby-club-player-s-desperate-plea-as-western-springs-stadium-consultation-nears-end/ A former international rugby player has issued an emotional plea for backing a proposal to keep one of New Zealand’s most historic rugby clubs situated at Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium. It comes as public consultation on the future of Western Springs – which looks at three proposed plans – is set to close at 11.59pm on Sunday. Ponsonby Rugby Club currently occupies the land, with its lease due to expire in 2027. The club has joined forces with CRS Records and Eccles Entertainment to propose a community-focused sport and concert venue. It would require a mix of a $30 million private investment, and a request for ratepayer funding of $18m-$20m. A second plan, which would be privately funded to the tune of $200m-$300m, proposes replacing the iconic venue with a 12,500-seat sports stadium – backed by Auckland FC co-investors Anna Mowbray and ex-All Black Ali Williams, as well as Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams. Paul Williams has no shortage of fond memories of his playing career at Ponsonby Rugby Club, before going on to represent NPC and Super Rugby sides and the Samoan national team. Williams, the son of All Black great Sir Bryan Williams, has since had a full-circle moment – now coaching a junior side at the club, trying to replicate the experiences that he had for the next generation. “Organisations can talk about inclusivity. They have all sorts of fancy words about what makes a club or organisation successful, Ponsonby have lived it. We’re the sum of our people, standing on the shoulders of legends of the past,” an emotional Williams told the Herald. Former international rugby player Paul Williams (left) with Ponsonby Rugby Club chairman Greg Edmonds. Photo / David Latu “Sitting in professional changing rooms, it was the emotion that I felt playing for Ponsonby that I drew on. What it truly means to play for your community, your family, your mates and those who have gone before you in an organisation.” The club celebrated its 150th anniversary last year – and holds the record for producing more All Blacks (48) than any other club in New Zealand. “That longevity sort of speaks for itself, going through the great wars, Great Depression, lots of trialling times for the club, [and] they’ve found a way,” Williams said. “It speaks to the character of the people, the dedication of volunteers and I think it’s something very special where we can broaden our offering across other sport groups.” Williams said no viable option for the relocation of the club – which currently has over 1000 playing members – has been presented. Kiwi entertainment heavyweights like Neil Finn are backing a "bowl" style revamp for Western Springs Stadium, proposed by Ponsonby Rugby Club, CRS Records and Eccles Entertainment. Photo / Supplied Cox’s Bay Reserve in Westmere has been touted as a solution but is already used to full capacity by Ponsonby Rugby and local schools. “There’s not enough room for clubrooms. There’s a shortage of car parks and the area is too closely encircled by houses to accommodate a clubroom facility.” Williams said if Ponsonby is forced to leave Western Springs, it’s likely the club would have to split itself and its facilities across multiple venues. He said Victoria Park in Central Auckland had also been suggested, but similar concerns have been raised about its availability, lack of car parks and limited space for clubrooms. “Members are fearful. We’re up against a very moneyed machine, where the AFC-linked consortium have no doubt had their eyes on Western Springs well before the public consultation was launched. “They’re trying to portray themselves as a community home, where its true intent is to be the home of Auckland FC and they’re trying to muddy the story.” Involved in the proposal to overhaul Western Springs Stadium and build a 12,500-seat stadium is 77-test All Black Ali Williams – who ironically played for Ponsonby Rugby Club’s premier side 34 times growing up. Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray are behind a second proposal to replace Western Springs with a 12,500-seat sports stadium, which would be the new home of Auckland FC. Photo / Photosport “Ali had a big contribution as a player, he sort of started his rugby here as a late teenager. [He] contributed to some of our Gallagher Shield successes and we’re proud of him as being a Ponsonby All Black. “I struggle to see how in their proposal they can’t find a home for a well-established, successful, healthy, community-driven club that is already on-site... If they’re true to their proposal of being for the community, how can you not accommodate a club of our longevity and service to the community?” Williams said the uncertainty surrounding the future of Western Springs was the hardest time the prominent club had faced in its history. “We believe our proposal speaks to what the use of a public reserve should be and we are just hoping there’s enough common sense in the community that will see us over the line. “AFC no doubt had a great maiden season, [but] I can’t see why they need to come to Western Springs to build a flash stadium for their professional sports team at the expense of the community. Go Media stadium presents as a perfect site where the city is already benefiting by having multiple tenants. “No doubt there’s hundreds of thousands of other rugby clubs that all have dedicated volunteers putting in the hours, we are not different. Except Ponsonby is my home, our home and we want to see a future.” ‘Western Springs crying out for it to happen’ - Auckland Arena consortium A report to the governing body in April outlined the benefits and downsides of the two proposals. It said the Auckland Arena would likely lead to a huge increase in the use of Western Springs, private investors would bring a strong history of running similar venues, and fund the ongoing running and maintenance costs. Other benefits included addressing shortages for indoor sports and a gap in high-performance facilities for football. The downsides included the potential impact on other stadiums, and the development of the outer fields displacing music venues, which could move to Go Media (Mt Smart) Stadium. The Auckland Arena team released a video of its proposal, featuring a campaign to generate public support. “Western Springs is just crying out for it to happen,” Ali Williams said. In a statement earlier this year, Mowbray said the group’s proposal would not require public funding. “The heart of the complex will be the 12,500-seat stadium, which will become home for Auckland FC. The city has a stadium shortage, which this will help to rectify. The complex is expected to create long-term social, economic, environmental, and cultural benefits for Auckland without any burden of cost to the ratepayer. “The proposal is backed by local and international investors, with local motivation around giving back to Auckland. Auckland FC, who this will become the new home of, has seen massive success in its first season, creating a loyal and significant fan base in the city.” Professional team v amateur club Ponsonby Rugby Club chairman Greg Edmonds said the consultation process had been “really frustrating”. “They are a professional team, we are an amateur club,” he said of the club’s fight against the Auckland FC consortium. It is the only rugby club in Auckland not operating or using council facilities, as council body Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) oversees the stadium. “Auckland Council I don’t think are putting aside our history, TAU are. They’ve treated us like a tenant basically with a lease that’s about to expire,” Edmonds said. The TAU board has already evaluated the two plans and said the Auckland Arena with a new 12,500-seat sports stadium is its preferred option. Computer-generated artist impression of a proposed redevelopment of Western Springs Stadium to house Auckland FC and basketball facilities from a consortium led by Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams. “The councillors have made it very clear to TAU that TAU can’t make the decision on the options for Western Springs, but the governing body will make that decision – which is the 20 ward councillors and the Mayor,” Edmonds said. The problem for a club the size of Ponsonby was that you couldn’t just squeeze it into a square box, he said. “None of the options they’ve come up with will be able to accommodate us without significant compromises... and it will impact on our growth capability. “The burden on the committee and the administration of the club has been significant.” Edmonds said the Western Springs Bowl proposal would complement the natural amphitheatre of the venue, with a 5000-8000 seated boutique stadium – and open up the possibility of hosting sports other than rugby. It would also be able to accommodate up to 50,000 people for music and festival events under the proposal. “We don’t just see rugby played here. Football could be played here, rugby league, any rectangular sport requirement could be playing at a ground that would create a much greater spectator experience than any other field in Auckland. “This could become New Zealand’s festival facility for rectangular sports. “It actually isn’t about Ponsonby Rugby, we just happen to be the tenant here. It should be more of a concern to the wider public than whether you support Ponsonby Rugby or not.” Edmonds said if the Auckland Arena proposal went ahead, the facility would have to be maintained by the AFC consortium for 100 years. “It will look great on opening day and even in 10 years’ time. In 70 years’ time, no one is going to be around who was involved in this decision at the time. Will the Mowbrays still own Auckland FC in 70 years’ time? Will there be an AFC? “All those factors that could happen, I think it’ll end up being a burden to the council because the only thing that will happen is the ratepayer will have to fund it otherwise they’ll have to tear it down.” Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022. Sat, 14 Jun 2025 20:29:26 Z /news/sport/harness-racer-crystal-hackett-dragged-by-horse-still-wins-second-race/ /news/sport/harness-racer-crystal-hackett-dragged-by-horse-still-wins-second-race/ A New Zealand horsewoman has stunned racing fans with her courage and care for her horse after winning a race at Alexandra Park on Friday night.  South Auckland harness racing driver Crystal Hackett had just won Race 8 driving two-year-old pacer Buddy Guy, when the inexperienced horse shied and became fractious when returning to the winner’s circle.  Hackett was tipped from the sulky and Buddy Guy attempted to take off across the Alexandra Park infield, but Hackett refused to let go of the reins, knowing that would leave the young pacer to run free and possibly endanger himself, other horses or even escape from the racetrack.  Hackett was left on the ground behind Buddy Guy being dragged across the grass, through puddles and even an access pathway before Buddy Guy eventually stopped and was caught unharmed.  Hackett returned to the stabling area, her driving pants stained by grass and mud but still smiling.  She was examined by the ambulance staff on track and found to have sustained no injuries so was cleared to drive in the last race, which she promptly won driving Maro Mackendon for her parents and trainers Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett.  Harness racing drivers are trained to hold on to horses if they are pushed or fall out of the sulky as to try and stop the horse and keep it from harm but few hold on as long or as publicly as Hackett did on Friday night.  Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.  Fri, 13 Jun 2025 22:55:32 Z /news/sport/on-the-up-blood-diamond-on-ufc-exit-renewed-reason-for-competing-ahead-of-king-in-the-ring-return/ /news/sport/on-the-up-blood-diamond-on-ufc-exit-renewed-reason-for-competing-ahead-of-king-in-the-ring-return/ Standing inside the UFC octagon, sweat dripping from his forehead after three hard-fought rounds against American Charles Radtke, Blood Diamond knew what was to come. The disappointment was clear for the world to see as he awaited the decision at UFC 293 in Sydney; a decision that was going to go against him. It was Diamond’s last bout with the world’s top mixed martial arts promotion, which cut him from the roster soon afterwards. “It was one of those where, that last fight, we had one more chance. Like, if I don’t win, that’s it. So you go into training knowing this is your last chance,” Diamond recalls to the Herald. “I did all I could to win the fight, but sometimes it is what it is. They gave me the worst stylistic match-ups for me but maybe it’s because of my experience in striking. Maybe they could’ve been thinking it would be lopsided. It is what it is.” Diamond made his UFC debut in 2022, signed with just a 3-0 MMA record but an extensive kickboxing career, which included two King in the Ring titles. He was the first Zimbabwe-born athlete to reach MMA’s pinnacle. But under the bright lights of the UFC, Diamond failed to shine. In three bouts with the promotion, he went 0-3, with a loss by submission on his debut, before dropping his next two by decision, though he had some strong moments in both of those performances. “The UFC didn’t go the way we planned. It is what it is. It’s something I’m proud of.” Blood Diamond made three appearances in the UFC. Photo / Photosport While he didn’t get the results he would have liked, signing to the UFC brought a renewed focus for the fighter trained at Auckland’s City Kickboxing gym, as he began to look into how he could help his biological mother relocate to New Zealand. He’ll return to the local kickboxing scene this weekend in the King in the Ring eight-man tournament, looking to move closer to that goal – and collect a third crown. Diamond’s family relocated from Zimbabwe in the early 2000s as his father and stepmother sought “a better life” in New Zealand. The 37-year-old estimates it was 10 years before he was able to travel to Zimbabwe to visit his mother, and another 10 years before she was able to make the trip over to visit him. “It’s a proud thing to do for a son to look after the person who looked after him when they were young,” he says. “I just want to spend time with her now.” “I’ve done a lot for myself, but I’m doing it for someone else now.” As is a familiar story for many, Diamond first stepped foot in a martial arts gym looking to learn how to defend himself after being sick of dealing with bullies. He was not a natural athlete but fell in love with the sport. He also found a sense of belonging there and, in a period when things got tough, found himself living within the walls of the gym. He worked hard on the mats and eventually Eugene Bareman, one of the gym’s head coaches, asked Diamond if he wanted to fight. He agreed, but says he never really had dreams of making it to the highest level. “I got to the pinnacle of the sport. I got to the UFC. It didn’t go my way but I’m not even mad,” he says. “A lot of people, they dream and wish for all this. All I did was work hard. That’s all I did. I’m sorry, I may have stolen someone’s dream, but I worked hard for this and I got to where I got. “I have no regrets. I know there will be people who are mad at me and hating on me, but I really don’t care. I’m living my best life.” While his time in the UFC ended after three bouts, it didn’t extinguish his love for martial arts. He has been active since his release, taking bouts both in MMA and kickboxing, while he has also started a business preparing healthy, African-inspired meals. Blood Diamond is a two-time King in the Ring champion. Photo / Photosport He returns to the King in the Ring stage in the light heavyweight tournament on Saturday night, in a higher weight class than his previous two titles have come in. The appearance is shaping as a clash of established talent taking on rising contenders. It’s another chapter in a story that Diamond has been proud to write. “It’s just so surreal. Sometimes I cannot believe it, like when I go to fights and I’m like ‘I’m flying somewhere and I didn’t pay for this? I’m living in nice hotels?’, getting all this free gear, being on TV – not just national, but international. Like, my face has been seen all over the world. I’m good, man. I’m happy with that. I may not be like Stylebender or Anderson Silva or GSP, but at the end of the day, I’ve lived my life and, to be honest, it’s not the end," he says. “If someone can look at my story and take something positive out of it, I’m glad. For me, it’s a success story. When I have kids, I won’t need to be like ‘this person did that’ – I can say I did it. When this happened, I did this. When that happened, I did this. “This is for me and for those who are listening.” Fri, 13 Jun 2025 03:20:58 Z /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-finishes-two-over-in-tie-for-33rd-after-first-round-at-oakmont-country-club/ /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-finishes-two-over-in-tie-for-33rd-after-first-round-at-oakmont-country-club/ Ahead of the US Open, Ryan Fox predicted Oakmont Country Club might “probably put me back in my place pretty quickly”.  But in an opening round full of carnage on the scorecards, Fox navigated away from most of it to finish his opening round with a two-over-par 72 in a round that took a shade under five-and-a-half hours to complete.  That saw him end the day in a tie for 33rd, six shots behind the leader, American J.J. Spaun, at four-under.  Spaun was the only player in the 156-strong field to go bogey-free in his opening round, while only 10 players finished under par through 18 holes.  While Fox lost the compass off the tee a few times, he again scrambled well to limit the damage. The 38-year-old found the rough or sand from the tee box on nine of his 18 holes, but was able to recover and card just two bogeys and a double, while also cashing in on two birdie attempts.  Things started well for Fox, who was one-under after two holes before moving back to even with a bogey on the par-four third.  That was where he stayed until the sixth hole, where he drained an 8m (27ft) putt for birdie to move back to one-under.  Putting his ball into the native area and having to take a drop on the par-four 11th saw him move back to even par, before a sandy adventure on the par-four 14th ended in a double bogey.  In that instance, Fox teed into one of four bunkers off to the left side of the fairway, and hit into another further up with his second shot, taking two shots to get out of that one.  But he was able to finish as he started, ultimately dropping shots on just three holes, while cancelling some of the damage with two birdies to finish at a respectable two-over.  Some of the other big names in the field weren’t quite so well off after the opening day of the tournament, with Shane Lowry carding a nine-over to be tied for 133rd, Justin Rose and Min Woo Lee were among those at seven-over and tied for 120th, while Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and Tommy Fleetwood were among a host of players to finish in a tie for 62nd at four-over for the day.  World No 1 Scottie Scheffler finished in a tie for 49th at three-over in his opening round.  Fox will have little time to mull the day over, as he is among the first to the tee boxes for the start of the second round.  Finishing his first 18 around 10.05am NZT (6.07pm local), he’ll be back in action at 10.56pm tonight (6.56am local).  Ryan Fox’s round-one scorecard  1 (par 4): Par.  2 (par 4): Birdie.  3 (par 4): Bogey.  4 (par 5): Par.  5 (par 4): Par.  6 (par 3): Birdie.  7 (par 4): Par.  8 (par 3): Par.  9 (par 4): Par.  10 (par 4): Par.  11 (par 4): Bogey.  12 (par 5): Par.  13 (par 3): Par.  14 (par 4): Double bogey.  15 (par 4): Par.  16 (par 3): Par.  17 (par 4): Par.  18 (par 4): Par.  Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.  Fri, 13 Jun 2025 01:46:49 Z /news/sport/formula-one-liam-lawson-s-teammate-isack-hadjar-says-he-s-not-ready-for-possible-red-bull-drive/ /news/sport/formula-one-liam-lawson-s-teammate-isack-hadjar-says-he-s-not-ready-for-possible-red-bull-drive/ Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar has admitted he doesn’t feel ready to step into the Red Bull car should world champion Max Verstappen earn a suspension from this year’s Formula One championship.  Following the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month, Verstappen is precariously poised, due to his disciplinary record.  A late tangle with British Mercedes driver George Russell earned the Dutchman three penalty points, which took the total on his Super Licence to 11. Should a driver accrue 12 points or more over a given 12 month period, they incur a one-race ban.  Given that 12-month period, Verstappen needs to get through the next two grands prix – Canada and Austria – before the first of those points expires and gives him breathing room.  Should that eventuate, either Lawson or Racing Bulls teammate Hadjar would likely fill in for one race, with reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa taking the vacant seat in Red Bull’s junior ranks.  The Herald understands that Lawson’s previous experience with the Red Bull senior side gives him a slight advantage.  Hadjar is having a strong rookie reason for Racing Bulls and sits in ninth on the driver standings with 21 points, while Lawson has four points.  Speaking ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Hadjar talked down any chance of getting into the Red Bull car.  “I wouldn’t feel ready, I’m just nine races in and it looks to be complicated when you look at Yuki and Liam, who are very quality drivers. So no, I’m not very ready but I would always be up for the call that’s for sure... I’m happy where I’m at but at the same time as I said, very curious. I haven’t thought about it because it’s very unlikely to happen.”  “I feel I always have that good pressure. The pressure to perform and deliver and at the moment myself, I’m just enjoying a lot this new job and it’s going really well. I’m happy with the team I’m at and it’s great,” he added.  Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar/ Photo / Red Bull  Ahead of the latest race, which takes place Monday NZT, Lawson said he’s been taking advice from former Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo. The Aussie won the event in 2014 from sixth on the grid.  “This is a track I am very excited for, it is a fun track and I actually spoke to Daniel [Ricciardo] last week and got some tips as he loved it. [He said] to use lots of kerbs! It is a track that creates racing for sure which is cool.”  Thu, 12 Jun 2025 23:58:20 Z /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-on-how-hip-injury-influenced-lifestyle-changes-during-pga-tour-season/ /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-on-how-hip-injury-influenced-lifestyle-changes-during-pga-tour-season/ The threat of surgery triggered a change in Ryan Fox. Toward the back end of his 2024 season, the Kiwi golfer was dealing with a hip injury. It wasn’t so much an issue of pain, but it was impacting his movement. Initially trying to play through and address it with physiotherapy, he eventually went for scans, which showed a labral tear and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in his right hip. Fox got a cortisone shot toward the back end of the year, which helped, and has been taking the injury into account when making decisions this year, getting fitter in the process. “I basically got told ‘you’ve got to sort yourself out or you’re staring down the barrel of surgery’,” Fox told 九一星空无限talk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave. “It’s obviously a bit easier to make a change when you’ve got a gun pointed to your head like that. I’ve tried my best to carry it on this year. It’s hard to keep up with the gym stuff during tournament weeks, especially when you’ve played a bunch in a row and after a week like last week, I wouldn’t want to think of going to the gym this week and just kind of chill out. “But I’m trying to do things a little bit better. It’s a bit hard in America. I do like my food and they generally do the fatty, sugary, good kinds of food pretty well over here. There have been a few weak moments, but for the most part I’m trying to do a little bit better and obviously it’s helped out on the golf course this year.” The 38-year-old has had a solid year on the PGA Tour, but the last month has been a remarkable one. In his last four events, Fox has two wins, a top-20 finish and a top-30, which has seen him shoot up to No 25 on the FedEx Cup (PGA Tour) leaderboard and to No 32 in the world rankings. His win at the RBC Canadian Open on Monday earned him a spot in this week’s US Open at Oakmont, as it pushed him inside the top 60 in the world. The course at Oakmont is among the toughest tests a golfer can face, with the thick rough standing at 12.7cm (5in) long and groomed in such a way that the golf ball will sink into it rather than sit on top. The course also features lightning-quick greens, while there are areas of the course that will punish players who leave their approaches short. The last time the US Open was contested at Oakmont was in 2016, when Dustin Johnson won with a score of four-under-par. The previous time the major was held at the course near Pittsburgh was in 2007, when Argentine Ángel Cabrera won at five-over-par. “I like hard golf, and this is about as hard as it gets,” Fox said. Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits. Thu, 12 Jun 2025 02:16:46 Z /news/sport/runit-championship-league-s-200k-run-it-straight-final-venue-shifted-from-auckland-to-middle-east/ /news/sport/runit-championship-league-s-200k-run-it-straight-final-venue-shifted-from-auckland-to-middle-east/ The final of a controversial “run it straight” event offering a staggering $200,000 to the winner has been shifted from Auckland to the Middle East amid ongoing calls for it to be banned. Australian-based Runit Championship League held two trial events at Trusts Arena last month, with the winners taking home $20,000 cash prizes. But the West Auckland venue pulled out of hosting the final, citing safety concerns. Now, the organisation has announced the final will be held in Dubai this month, with the date yet to be confirmed. The change in destination comes as multiple companies listed as “partners” of the organisation have been removed from their website – the most high-profile of which being sports retailer Foot Locker. View this post on Instagram A post shared by RUNIT CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE (@runit.au) Foot Locker said its involvement with “run it straight” organised and officiated events has been limited in the past and in no official capacity has it ever been a sponsor. Foot Locker had been providing Runit with gear and gift cards for prizes. Runit Championship League has previously expressed interest in going global, earlier advertising shows in America, Saudi Arabia and the UK later this year. But these destinations have also been removed from its website. Former NRL and English international George Burgess, who has been working with the organisation, confirmed the event had been moved from Auckland to the Middle East. He said the organisers would “of course” be paying for the eight finalists’ flights to Dubai. Australian-based Runit Championship League held two trial events at Trusts Arena last month, with the winners taking home $20,000 cash prizes. Photo / Mike Scott Auckland Council told the Herald earlier this week it had not received any request from the organisation to book council-owned or managed sites. “Due to the health and safety concerns associated with these events, it is highly unlikely an event of this nature would have met the council’s guidelines for approval if they were to follow the correct process.” Leading doctors have called for the sport to be banned due to safety concerns, and the Government has sought advice on what powers and actions can be taken against it following the death of a teenager last month after participating in a copycat event. 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died in Palmerston North Hospital after suffering serious head injuries in a game with friends, inspired by “run it straight”. Runit Championship League – which has amassed about 82 million views on social media since its inception earlier this year – has pushed forward with the final, offering a $200,000 cash prize for the winner, $50,000 for second place and $25,000 for third. “Run it straight” has been touted as the world’s fiercest new combat sport. It involves a runner and a tackler running full speed at each other on a 20m x 4m “battlefield” designed for “maximum action and non-stop intensity”. “Victory belongs to the one who dominates the collision.” At the second Auckland trial, three of the eight competitors were forced to retire with injuries - two of whom showed signs of a concussion. Photo / Mike Scott It has exploded on social media in recent months, gaining a mass following. The frontrunner of the new sport is Runit Championship League, which has received support from several high-profile athletes since its inception. Collisions ‘comparable to severe car crashes’ Professor Patria Hume, sports scientist and injury prevention expert at Auckland University of Technology, said earlier that Satterthwaite’s death was preventable. “I also said [previously] it unfortunately takes a death to make people take notice and to stop these high-injury-risk activities.” She said the collisions in run it straight were more than five times the force of a typical rugby tackle. “People are not trying to evade each other, but are purposefully hitting each other as hard as they can.” Sports Medicine New Zealand national chairman Dr Stephen Kara said the biomechanics of the sport’s collisions were “comparable to severe car crashes”. “When two 105kg participants – the average body mass of rugby players – sprint towards each other, the impact force can exceed 16,800 newtons. This force is over three times that of a professional boxer’s punch and more than 1.5 times the force of falling from 2m.” He said such high-impact collisions carried a significant risk of severe brain injury, fractures and death. “This activity doesn’t just endanger participants, but makes a mockery of the considerable effort and investment contact sports have made on impact-readiness training, brain injury awareness, reporting and management, all in a bid to ensure the safety and wellbeing of athletes. “[It] is not a sport. It is jousting without sticks and, whilst that may have been a sport in medieval times, it has no place in today’s sporting arenas.” Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:18:21 Z /news/sport/three-auckland-club-rugby-players-suspended-one-charged-after-opposing-player-allegedly-coward-punched-on-field/ /news/sport/three-auckland-club-rugby-players-suspended-one-charged-after-opposing-player-allegedly-coward-punched-on-field/ Three Auckland club rugby players have been suspended – one for eight weeks – and one charged with assault after an opposing player was allegedly coward-punched in the jaw, causing him to suffer a seizure on the field.  The incident, which was reported to police, unfolded during a game between Pakūranga United Rugby Club and Manukau Rovers Rugby Club at Bell Park in East Auckland on May 24.  Video of the incident seen by the Herald shows a Pakūranga player engaged in a rolling maul, binding on to a Manukau player before the pair break off. The Manukau player wrestles with the victim before appearing to elbow him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious.  While the victim is sitting on the ground, another Manukau player can be seen approaching him from behind and allegedly punching him in the jaw, causing the Pakūranga player to suffer an apparent seizure on the field.  A Pakūranga Rugby Club player suffered an apparent seizure on the field after he was allegedly coward-punched by an opposing player.  A large brawl breaks out between the two sides, with further punches being thrown as the victim lies unconscious on the ground.  Moments later a Pakūranga teammate and the match referee can be seen racing to the side of the stricken player to tend to his injuries.  The incident was referred to the Independent Judicial Committee and, as a result, three Manukau players were handed varying suspensions of eight weeks, six weeks and one week respectively.  “Auckland Rugby is not satisfied that the sanctions issued by the Independent Judicial Committee reflect the seriousness of the incidents and will be lodging an appeal,” an Auckland Rugby spokesperson told the Herald.  “From here, a separate Incident Appeals Committee will be formed to review the sanctions. In the interim, the players in question will be stood down.”  A police spokesperson confirmed to the Herald a criminal complaint had been laid over the matter and a 24-year-old man had been charged with assault.  “He is due to appear in the Manukau District Court on June 25.”  Manukau Rovers Rugby Club and Pakūranga United Rugby Club were approached for comment. Manukau Rovers Rugby declined the offer.  Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.  Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:09:35 Z /news/sport/nrl-inside-warriors-rookie-sam-healey-s-last-gasp-call-up-in-victory-over-cronulla-sharks/ /news/sport/nrl-inside-warriors-rookie-sam-healey-s-last-gasp-call-up-in-victory-over-cronulla-sharks/ If you want an indication of the confidence among the new breed rising at the Warriors, look no further than rookie hooker Sam Healey. When the 22-year-old woke up last Saturday morning, all he was thinking about was another appearance for the New South Wales Cup team. Apart from one interchange appearance during the Magic Round, he hadn’t been in the first-grade side and was content to bide his time. But everything changed around 11am on match day, when he saw coach Andrew Webster in the team hotel, who informed him that Wayde Egan was struggling with a hip issue. “He pulled me aside and said there’s a chance, and I said, Oh, right oh,” Healey tells the Herald. “I didn’t really know. “Then about 20 minutes later, I looked at Wayde and he didn’t look too good. So, I thought, ‘yeah, I’m probably on here’. “That was when I came to the realisation I was playing so I had to get my head around it.” Initially, his mind would have been spinning, given the surreal circumstances. A last-minute NRL starting debut, after not training with the first-grade team all week. And against the club where he had spent years as a junior and where his father Mitch Healey is revered as a legend, having made 222 appearances for the Sharks (fifth on the all-time list). “It was a bit weird, to be honest, running out in different colours,” says Healey. “I played a lot at Shark Park in the juniors and stuff for Cronulla.” But it didn’t show. There is nowhere to hide at hooker but Healey was on song from the start – accurate with his distribution, defending well and making some clever darts from dummy half, belying his inexperience and any nerves. Pre-match chats with Webster and Egan helped to simplify his role – “If they have the confidence in me that’s enough for me” – and his impressive performance added another layer to the memorable 40-10 win, one of the best Warriors displays in recent years. “It was pretty special,” says Healey. “I’ve grown up watching from the hill at Cronulla, been to who knows how many Sharks games and obviously my old man playing there.” Healey looks one to watch, part of a cohort of young Warriors turning heads. His progress has justified the move to New Zealand, after he was scouted playing for the Newtown Jets (the Sharks’ feeder team) in the NSW Cup. “Webby was really positive,” recalled Healey of their first conversation. “He thought I could genuinely be a No 9 in the NRL and that’s all I needed ... someone to believe in me and, have confidence in me.” Sam Healey in action against the Sharks. Photo / Photosport Still, the initial move wasn’t easy for the 22-year-old. Not just leaving his hometown club but also moving out of his parent’s house for the first time. “It was difficult, obviously, first time living out of home and I got on a one-way flight to New Zealand, which was pretty daunting,” says Healey. “Walking into the [dressing] shed that first day was, it was like nothing I’d ever done before. But I needed to test myself and get out of my comfort zone and I’ve grown a lot from it. So it’s super positive.” It wasn’t all plain sailing, with getting to know an entirely new group of players and staff and also taking on the challenge of preparing his own meals, with calls home early on to his mother and girlfriend for recipe suggestions and ideas. But Healey is loving life in Auckland, in a flat with middle forward Tanner Stowers-Smith and two other NSW Cup teammates. “It’s a bit frantic at dinner time when everyone’s cooking their separate meals and in the kitchen,” laughs Healey. “But it’s good fun having people around and I’ve become quite close with those boys.” The current Warriors set-up is the perfect place to grow and learn, shown by the number of young players stamping their mark, from Leka Halasima and Demitric Vaimaunga to Ali Leiataua and Jacob Laban. “All the older boys and the coaching staff are giving us the confidence that we can do a job and thrive in this environment,” said Healey. “We’ve got good leaders like Fish [James Fisher-Harris] and Capes [Kurt Capewell], guys that have been there, done it, and can lead the way and say, ‘Boys come with us’.” Healey also credits Egan for an exponential development of his own game, after observing the former Penrith player at close quarters since pre-season. “Watching him at training, watching clips and just trying to pick up little things that he does and asking questions here and there. It’s definitely brought my game forward. “If I look at myself 12 months ago to where I am now, I’m a completely different player and I credit some of that to him and the influence he’s had on me.” Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast. Tue, 10 Jun 2025 06:31:59 Z /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-reflects-on-emotional-win-at-rbc-canadian-open-as-major-championship-looms/ /news/sport/us-open-golf-ryan-fox-reflects-on-emotional-win-at-rbc-canadian-open-as-major-championship-looms/ Standing at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania this morning, Ryan Fox found himself trying to figure out what had just gone on. It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours for the Kiwi golfer, who claimed his second title on the PGA Tour in the space of a month yesterday at the RBC Canadian Open. It made him the first New Zealander since Sir Bob Charles in 1963 to win two events in the same season on golf’s top tour, and also earned him a place in the US Open at Oakmont this week. For Fox, it was an emotional rollercoaster; one with plenty of corkscrews and loops. “My nerves are a bit fried after the whole scenario,” he told the Herald. Ending the third round tied for the lead, he was already chasing again when he began his final round – then sent his opening tee shot into the bushes. He scrambled well to get through the front nine at one-under-par, before getting within one shot of American Sam Burns, who shot a round of eight-under to take the clubhouse lead at 18-under, with back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th. Ryan Fox won the RBC Canadian Open after four playoff holes. Photo / Getty Images He missed a great opportunity for birdie on 17, before catching the right side of the cup to make a tough birdie on 18 and force a playoff. Another poor tee shot on the first playoff hole, and it was advantage Burns. But Fox kept scrambling and, eventually, claimed the title in the fourth playoff hole thanks to what he calls the best shot of his career so far – a perfect three-wood from 237m out landing about 2m from the hole for an eagle putt. Burns could only make a three-putt par, while Fox scored a tap-in birdie for the win. “I thought I’d lost it there on that first playoff hole, and Sam gave me a reprieve,” Fox said. “There were a lot of emotions going on in those last few holes. “Just giving myself a chance to start with, and then being a little p***ed off on 17, missing that putt, and then all of a sudden having a chance again and then feeling like I lost it in the playoffs. Then all of a sudden, I won.” It’s a win that changes everything for the 38-year-old. Even after his win at Myrtle Beach in May, a few things were still in the air around scheduling through the back end of the season. However, the win in Toronto saw Fox shoot up to No 25 in the FedEx Cup (PGA Tour) rankings and No 32 in the world rankings and he looks set to feature in the PGA Tour playoffs later in the year. Ryan Fox reacts after leaving his putt to win short on the second playoff hole in the RBC Canadian Open. Photo / AFP He has also secured entry into next week’s limited field Travelers Championship and a place in the Masters next year. “Things have changed a lot in a month, that’s for sure. I can plan a schedule properly now. There’s no ‘what’s going on?’, you know. “I’m in the Travelers next week now for sure, obviously in the US Open this week, and looking fairly good for the back end of the season now. “I can take a couple of weeks off before the Scottish Open and recharge and get ready for a big push at the end of the year. “We always say on tour that good golf fixes most things, and it’s certainly done that with schedule and security and everything like that for me this last month. “Hopefully I can keep riding the wave, but I feel like Oakmont’s probably going to put me back in my place pretty quickly this week. It’s a brute.” Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits. Tue, 10 Jun 2025 04:31:12 Z /news/sport/kiwi-natarsha-ganley-moves-from-fear-to-fun-to-world-cup-refereeing-lockerroom/ /news/sport/kiwi-natarsha-ganley-moves-from-fear-to-fun-to-world-cup-refereeing-lockerroom/ A New Zealand referee is about to enter a boot camp in Portugal as one of 10 international whistlers for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. When Natarsha “Tarsh” Ganley locked her rugby referee’s whistle away for a few years, little did she know that she would return and go on to reach the highest stage the role has to offer. Now 33, Ganley was named last month as one of 10 referees who will take charge of matches at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England this August and September. After a full-on start to her refereeing career, Ganley took three years off to solidify her off-field career, before Chris Pollock, New Zealand Rugby’s high-performance referee manager, reached out to her. Pollock needed help during the 2022 Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) and called Ganley, who had made her debut refereeing in the competition as a 21-year-old in 2013. Pollock’s contact reignited something in Ganley as she went on to officiate a number of fixtures that season, including the final between Canterbury and Auckland. “Just being back in the environment, it definitely reignited the passion. I was more mature, I could actually go out there and be myself on the field,” Ganley says. “We speak a lot about refereeing from a place of fear versus a place of enjoyment. The fear is more around: am I going to get dropped, am I going have a bad game, what will people think of me? My mindset in that time off had shifted to ‘if I get dropped then I’ll just go back to living this awesome life that I’ve got and friends and family and everything there’, so the worst-case scenario was, oh well, that was fun, I’ll go back to it – and it meant I could actually enjoy the games and have fun.” After her successful comeback in 2022, the following year brought a number of firsts, starting in July, when she was appointed to referee a Ranfurly Shield game, as the Wellington Lions defended the Log O’ Wood against Horowhenua-Kāpiti in Levin. “That was amazing, to be the second-ever female to do that. Mum and Dad came down from Whangārei, so it was eight or nine hours in the car for them,” Ganley says. She completed a full FPC season, including the final, which was again between Auckland and Canterbury. She was also selected to referee at the six-team, second-tier WXV 2 competition in Cape Town. This would have been her international debut, but a surprise was in store. Ganley will be one of two referees representing New Zealand. Photo / Paul Williams “The night before the FPC final, I got a call asking what I was doing the following weekend and I was asked to fly to Japan to do a test match [Japan against Fiji] and so I ended up making my international debut a few weeks before WXV 2. It was my first time to Japan and we were based out of Tokyo and it was a fantastic experience, again, refereeing from a place of enjoyment,” Ganley says. She went on to make her Women’s Six Nations debut in April 2024. She performed assistant referee duties for the Italy-Scotland encounter in Parma, before taking charge of Ireland-Scotland in Belfast the following week. Earlier this year, she again referred the Scotland-Ireland match, this time in Edinburgh. She also made her Super Rugby Pacific assistant-referee debut in front of a capacity crowd in Napier in February as the Hurricanes hosted the Fijian Drua. “I’ve just been very, very lucky on the journey that I’ve had, having the right support in terms of friends and family and a great mentor and coach in Brendon Pickerill to start with and then Chris Pollock over the last few years, I think all the different achievements can be credited to everyone that’s helped me,” Ganley says. The upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup will feature 16 teams, an expansion from the previous 12 and a total of 22 match officials (10 referees, six assistant referees and six Television Match Officials or TMOs) representing 12 nations will take charge of the 32 matches. All of the 16 on-field appointments are female, with one of the six TMOs, Rachel Horton, from Australia. Ganley will be one of two referees representing New Zealand, alongside Maggie Cogger-Orr, who is not only one of the most experienced female referees in the world, but also the Women’s referee development manager at New Zealand Rugby. Formal preparations for Ganley and her colleagues start in mid-June, with a week-long camp in Portugal. There will be team bonding, fitness work and discussions to bring alignment around law and game situations. After Portugal, the officials will take care of tournament warm-up games for approximately six weeks, with Ganley in charge of Australia-Wales and Fiji-Samoa. She’ll also be an assistant referee for other games, a role she will also fill in England. Away from the field, Ganley will be getting her strength and conditioning right. She’s working with her trainer, whom she sees twice a week, and is also working with a dietitian and a sports psychologist, making sure she’s in the best possible physical and mental shape for the challenges ahead. Looking at that amount of work, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Ganley is a fulltime referee, but she isn’t. She stepped down from her role as a compliance analyst for Hobson Wealth Partners when the firm was bought out, and the flexibility she needed for refereeing was reduced. She’s been working for software company Intrahealth for the past nine months in a work-from-home role, which has accommodated her rugby commitments this year. But even an adaptable employer like that has their limitations and Ganley has recently resigned so that she can concentrate on the sport’s showpiece event. If she’s not refereeing on the international scene, she lets the North Harbour Rugby Referees Association know she’s available to help out back at grassroots level. One of the association’s initiatives for 2025 is a women and girls refereeing course at clubs, being led by Rebecca Stanaway. The courses are targeted specifically for females, trying to make it a better experience for young women coming though, via a group dynamic. “Anything that increases awareness in a fun environment is going to be good for everyone,” Ganley says. She’s from a rugby family, saying rugby is their “love language”. Ganley and her two younger brothers played the game growing up. Their dad would coach while their mum would manage and have the oranges on the sidelines. But there was no female team for her to play in past intermediate, so she fell back into netball. When she was 17, there was a New Zealand Rugby “You make the call” refereeing course. She was playing touch for her Dad’s team and one of the guys in the touch team suggested she went along and gave it a go. All these years on, can Ganley see a time in the future she becomes a fulltime referee? “I’m not too sure in terms of New Zealand [going fulltime]. Overseas, you’ve got Aimee Barrett-Theron out of South Africa, you’ve got Hollie Davidson out of Scotland and you’ve Sara Cox out of England. I think their systems are different to us down in New Zealand. They’ve got rugby 50 out of 52 weeks of the year, whereas I think down in New Zealand, for the female game especially, we don’t have enough rugby to justify a fulltime position. I hope it is on the horizon, but we’d need more rugby or women doing the top [men’s] level, which Maggie [Cogger-Orr] is pushing the boundary for,” Ganley says. Regardless of whether she’s fulltime or not, Ganley’s performances, as well as those of all referees, are reviewed in huge detail. Match statistics as well as decisions are examined with feedback and an overall rating provided. Alongside that, there’s the ongoing scrutiny from the rugby public. “There’s so much detail that goes into a review, and so I’d love the public to see what it actually takes [to get to the top level]. I’d love them to see the sacrifices and the dedication we put into it because my social life is non-existent. I don’t know how people with families do it. It takes some wonderful support behind the curtains I guess around what actually allows people to do this and to do it well and be successful. It is a fulltime job,” Ganley says. This story was originally published at 九一星空无限room.co.nz and is republished with permission. Tue, 10 Jun 2025 01:48:49 Z /news/sport/ryan-fox-triumphs-in-canadian-open-enters-us-open-in-hot-form/ /news/sport/ryan-fox-triumphs-in-canadian-open-enters-us-open-in-hot-form/ This time last week, Ryan Fox hadn’t qualified for the US Open. Now, he’ll go into the third major of the season as one of the hottest players on the PGA Tour. With his win at the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto on Monday, Fox claimed his second PGA Tour title in the space of a month – with the first of his career coming at the Myrtle Beach Classic in early May. Of the last four tournaments Fox has entered, only he and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler have lifted trophies. Hoisting the title in Canada meant entry into next week’s US Open at Oakmont, while he pockets about $2.9 million (US$1.7m), 500 FedEx Cup (PGA Tour) points and just over 47 world ranking points. Ahead of the event, Fox told the Herald his target for the rest of the year was to solidify his spot in the PGA Tour playoffs and secure a top-50 finish for the year. With the points he earned in Canada, the 38-year-old has jumped from No 75 to No 32 in the world, and up to No 25 in the FedEx Cup standings. For 2025 so far, Fox has won $5.52m – $4.7m of that being across his last five tournaments. While the win at Myrtle Beach guaranteed him a spot on the PGA Tour for the next two years, the win in Canada also cemented Fox a place in next year’s Masters at Augusta, which he missed out on this year, along with the Players Championship. Ryan Fox at the PGA Championship last month. Photo / Photosport Fox had to fight for the win in Canada, needing four playoff holes to get the better of American Sam Burns after making a clutch birdie to force a playoff on the final hole of his fourth round. Both men made birdies on the par-five 18th in regulation to finish 18-under-par for the tournament, they continued to match each other in extra play. With only the 18th hole being used in the sudden-death elimination format, both missed good chances to win and, after still being level twice more, the hole position was changed. Once more they matched each other, before Fox played what he called one of the best shots of his life to give himself an eagle putt. Ultimately, Burns couldn’t match him for placement and three-putted for par. That left Fox with two putts for the win; a tap-in birdie sealing the title. Ryan Fox’s PGA Tour season so far Made cuts: RBC Canadian Open – 1. Myrtle Beach Classic – 1. Texas Children’s Houston Open - T15. The Players Championship - T20. The Memorial Tournament – T20. PGA Championship – T28. Valspar Championship - T47. Corales Puntacana Championship - T59. CJ Cup Byron Nelson - T60. Phoenix Open - T63. Missed cuts: Mexico Open, Cognizant Classic, Valero Texas Open, Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits. Mon, 09 Jun 2025 03:51:05 Z /news/sport/state-of-origin-ii-warriors-forward-kurt-capewell-recalled-for-queensland/ /news/sport/state-of-origin-ii-warriors-forward-kurt-capewell-recalled-for-queensland/ Warriors forward Kurt Capewell has been recalled into Queensland’s State of Origin side for their must-win clash against New South Wales in Perth next Wednesday. Coach Billy Slater has made four changes to his side including dropping captain Daly Cherry-Evans, as they look to avoid back-to-back series defeats after losing game one 18-6 last month. During his career, Capewell has played 10 matches for Queensland, most recently in last year’s game three decider, which ended in a 14-4 defeat. Capewell has been one of the Warriors most consistent players this season, starting at centre four times after injury issues in the outside backs. Slater highlighted Capewell’s leadership qualities as a key reason for his inclusion. “We just felt Kurt Capewell had been doing really well at club level and his actions had earnt him an opportunity to come into the team,” said Slater. “It’s not an easy one to make but we feel it’s the best for the team... Kurt has been doing a great job in the centres for the Warriors and he is playing in a team that no matter where he plays he is doing a great job. “They’ve got a real team first mentality at the Warriors at the minute and he is really leading that and I’m sure he is going to bring those traits into the footy team.” A video shared to the Warriors social media pages shows Capewell was told of his inclusion after their 40-10 win over the Sharks. Alongside Capewell, Corey Horsburgh, Jack Howarth and Ezra Mam all join the 20-man squad. Cherry-Evans and Beau Fermor have both lost their starting spots, while Jesse Arthars and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki have been axed from the extended reserves. Cherry-Evans is the first captain to be dropped mid series in nearly 30 years. Slater says he didn’t take the decision lightly and will name a new captain on Tuesday. The New South Wales squad will be named later on Monday with at least one change to their team after the season ending ACL injury to Warriors co-captain Mitch Barnett. Mon, 09 Jun 2025 03:01:58 Z /news/sport/stu-wilson-former-all-blacks-captain-dies-aged-70/ /news/sport/stu-wilson-former-all-blacks-captain-dies-aged-70/ Former All Blacks captain Stu Wilson has died, aged 70. Wilson, who could play centre or wing, made 85 appearances for the All Blacks between 1976-83, including 34 tests, two of which he captained. He made nine overseas tours, including that with the 1978 Grand Slam team which beat all four Home Unions. He was captain in all eight matches of the 1983 tour of England and Scotland. For several years his test tries were an All Black record. Born in Gore in 1954, Wilson would move up to Masterton and later represent Wellington at provincial level, where he played 89 matches, scoring 54 tries between 1975-84. During his time, Wellington would win two National Provincial titles in 1978 and 1981, the latter year also saw them hold the Ranfurly Shield. Bernie Fraser and Stu Wilson in 1992. Photo / Photosport He controversially retired from all rugby in 1984, after he co-authored a book, Ebony & Ivory, with fellow All Black wing Bernie Fraser, which went against the governing body’s rules at the time. After retiring, he went on to work as a television presenter and radio host, before also dabbling in real estate and working for charitable organisations. In 2021, Wilson became an orderly at Tauranga Hospital after moving to the Bay of Plenty from Auckland three years earlier. “I needed a job for a couple of days a week to get me out of the house and thought this could be it,” he said at the time. Former All Blacks captain Stu Wilson pictured in 2021. Photo / George Novak, 九一星空无限 New Zealand Rugby chair David Kirk, who played alongside Wilson during the 1983 tour, said he would be deeply missed. “Stu was one of the finest wings to have played the game and one of rugby’s most memorable characters. He took a light-hearted approach to life but was deeply passionate and serious about representing his country. At his best he was nearly unstoppable with the ball in hand and was respected by his peers and opponents across the world. We will miss him deeply and remember him fondly.” New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson paid tribute to Wilson. “Stu was ahead of his time in the way played what was in front of him and beat defenders in multiple ways with his footwork, speed or kick ahead. His flair and joy for the game inspired a generation. In retirement he was a positive and respected public voice for rugby and continued to stay connected to both his club and his province. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.” Wellington Rugby CEO Tony Giles said Wilson’s legacy would live on through his feats for the province. “Stu Wilson’s contribution to rugby in Wellington and New Zealand is immeasurable. He was more than just a world-class player; he was a proud ambassador for the sport, his province, and his country. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, teammates, and the wider rugby community at this time. He will be remembered as one of the greats.” Wallabies great David Campese also paid tribute to his former foe. “When I started playing, Stu was the benchmark in world wing play. He was the man we all wanted to be – cocky, clever, blisteringly quick and brilliantly intelligent,“ Campese told Planet Rugby. “As a player, Stu made rugby look easy and earned huge respect as captain in 1983. He had a swerve to beat anyone, extreme pace, intellect and power, able to break through tacklers, making him a try-scoring machine. “I made my debut against him in 1982 in the Bledisloe in Christchurch and grabbed my first Test try against him. We became very great pals, playing together in invitation games. I still have his jersey from that first test match and it’s one of my most cherished possessions as he represented the standard I wanted to attain.” “But it was off the field where Stu really entertained. His post-match career as a pundit and after-dinner speaker was hilariously funny and his tales would leave the audience rolling with laughter. “I will never forget Stu. He was my benchmark, my adversary and also a lifelong mate who I endured as a brilliant opponent and enjoyed as a great mate. RIP my friend, the game is lesser without you.” Former All Blacks No 8 Murray Mexted told Radio New Zealand he had a coffee with Wilson on the morning of his death. “He was just his normal self, chirpy with a spring in his step, so it’s a hell of a shock. “We called him Super Stu because he was a super rugby player,” Mexted said. Labour MP Willie Jackson said on Twitter: “Man was he a champion, such a different style to other wingers. Incredibly elusive, but lethal. Loved watching him play! Neat guy too, great personality. Always friendly and up for a joke. All the best to his whānau.” Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news. Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:31:07 Z /news/sport/world-class-tributes-flow-for-all-blacks-captain-stu-wilson/ /news/sport/world-class-tributes-flow-for-all-blacks-captain-stu-wilson/ Former All Blacks captain Stu Wilson has died, aged 70. Wilson, who could play centre or wing, made 85 appearances for the All Blacks between 1976-83, including 34 tests, two of which he captained. He made nine overseas tours, including that with the 1978 Grand Slam team which beat all four Home Unions. He was captain in all eight matches of the 1983 tour of England and Scotland. For several years his test tries were an All Black record. Born in Gore in 1954, Wilson would move up to Masterton and later represent Wellington at provincial level, where he played 89 matches, scoring 54 tries between 1975-84. During his time, Wellington would win two National Provincial titles in 1978 and 1981, the latter year also saw them hold the Ranfurly Shield. Bernie Fraser and Stu Wilson in 1992. Photo / Photosport He controversially retired from all rugby in 1984, after he co-authored a book, Ebony & Ivory, with fellow All Black wing Bernie Fraser, which went against the governing body’s rules at the time. After retiring, he went on to work as a television presenter and radio host, before also dabbling in real estate and working for charitable organisations. In 2021, Wilson became an orderly at Tauranga Hospital after moving to the Bay of Plenty from Auckland three years earlier. “I needed a job for a couple of days a week to get me out of the house and thought this could be it,” he said at the time. Former All Blacks captain Stu Wilson pictured in 2021. Photo / George Novak, 九一星空无限 New Zealand Rugby chair David Kirk, who played alongside Wilson during the 1983 tour, said he would be deeply missed. “Stu was one of the finest wings to have played the game and one of rugby’s most memorable characters. He took a light-hearted approach to life but was deeply passionate and serious about representing his country. At his best he was nearly unstoppable with the ball in hand and was respected by his peers and opponents across the world. We will miss him deeply and remember him fondly.” New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson paid tribute to Wilson. “Stu was ahead of his time in the way played what was in front of him and beat defenders in multiple ways with his footwork, speed or kick ahead. His flair and joy for the game inspired a generation. In retirement he was a positive and respected public voice for rugby and continued to stay connected to both his club and his province. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.” Wellington Rugby CEO Tony Giles said Wilson’s legacy would live on through his feats for the province. “Stu Wilson’s contribution to rugby in Wellington and New Zealand is immeasurable. He was more than just a world-class player; he was a proud ambassador for the sport, his province, and his country. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, teammates, and the wider rugby community at this time. He will be remembered as one of the greats.” Wallabies great David Campese also paid tribute to his former foe. “When I started playing, Stu was the benchmark in world wing play. He was the man we all wanted to be – cocky, clever, blisteringly quick and brilliantly intelligent,“ Campese told Planet Rugby. “As a player, Stu made rugby look easy and earned huge respect as captain in 1983. He had a swerve to beat anyone, extreme pace, intellect and power, able to break through tacklers, making him a try-scoring machine.” “I made my debut against him in 1982 in the Bledisloe in Christchurch and grabbed my first Test try against him. We became very great pals, playing together in invitation games. I still have his jersey from that first test match and it’s one of my most cherished possessions as he represented the standard I wanted to attain.” “But it was off the field where Stu really entertained. His post-match career as a pundit and after-dinner speaker was hilariously funny and his tales would leave the audience rolling with laughter. “I will never forget Stu. He was my benchmark, my adversary and also a lifelong mate who I endured as a brilliant opponent and enjoyed as a great mate. RIP my friend, the game is lesser without you.” Former All Blacks No 8 Murray Mexted told Radio New Zealand he had a coffee with Wilson on the morning of his death. “He was just his normal self, chirpy with a spring in his step, so it’s a hell of a shock. “We called him Super Stu because he was a super rugby player,” Mexted said. Labour MP Willie Jackson said on Twitter: “Man was he a champion, such a different style to other wingers. Incredibly elusive, but lethal. Loved watching him play! Neat guy too, great personality. Always friendly and up for a joke. All the best to his whānau.” Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:29:56 Z /news/sport/lawson-in-frame-for-red-bull-return-if-verstappen-cops-f1-ban/ /news/sport/lawson-in-frame-for-red-bull-return-if-verstappen-cops-f1-ban/ Liam Lawson is in the frame for a return to Red Bull Racing, should world champion Max Verstappen earn a suspension from this year’s Formula One championship. Following the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month, Verstappen is precariously poised, due to his disciplinary record. A late tangle with British Mercedes driver George Russell earned the Dutchman three penalty points, which took the total on his Super Licence to 11. Should a driver accrue 12 points or more over a given 12 month period, they incur a one-race ban. Given that 12-month period, Verstappen needs to get through the next two grands prix – Canada and Austria – before the first of those points expires and gives him breathing room. Should that eventuate, either Lawson or Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar would likely fill in for one race, with reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa taking the vacant seat in Red Bull’s junior ranks. It is understood that, at present, Red Bull has no clear preference between Lawson or Hadjar. However, the Herald understands that Lawson’s previous experience with the Red Bull senior side gives him a slight advantage. Lawson has also been the reserve driver for Red Bull, and the team already have a seat fitted for him to return to the team. The Herald has contacted Red Bull for comment. The Kiwi completed the first two race weekends of the 2025 Formula One season with Red Bull – in Australia and China – before he was moved back to Racing Bulls in a direct switch with Yuki Tsunoda. New Zealand's Liam Lawson (left) and Max Verstappen of the Netherlands walk and talk in the paddock prior to the sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai in March. Photo / Red Bull Content Pool Lawson in particular struggled to adapt to the harsh demands of driving Red Bull’s RB21 car, but was able to take positives from his two race weekends. In Melbourne, he logged the second-fastest lap of the Australian Grand Prix, behind only McLaren’s Lando Norris, before he crashed out on lap 45 after being left on a wet track on slick tyres. In Shanghai, no driver made more overtakes in the 19-lap sprint race than the Kiwi, albeit with the caveat that he started 19th on the grid. Tsunoda has also struggled since his promotion, and returned just seven points in seven grands prix and one sprint race with the team. However, since Lawson’s return, teammate Hadjar has arguably been one of the standout drivers on the grid. The 20-year-old rookie has picked up 21 points and sits ninth in the standings, while Lawson has just four points. Should Red Bull want to move on from Tsunoda at the end of 2025, and promote Hadjar in his place, the team could also opt to use any Verstappen ban as an opportunity to assess him as a replacement. On the flipside of that, Red Bull would also do well to be cautious in promoting Hadjar, given the struggles of Verstappen’s teammates. Before Lawson and Tsunoda, Sergio Perez, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly were all cast aside by Red Bull after being unable to produce the results needed to match Verstappen. The Formula One season continues next Monday with the Canadian Grand Prix, beginning at 6am (NZT). Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:00:29 Z