Tag Archives: BBC Sport

Mitchell Santner Exemplifies Black Caps’ Class

Mitchell Santner Exemplifies Black Caps’ Class

“Whatever side they put on the park, the Black Caps are ruthlessly professional. Their batters are disciplined yet brutal, their bowlers feisty yet frighteningly accurate,” Welsh cricketer Ffion Wynne writes for BBC Sport. “They rarely…

Scott Robertson to Succeed Ian Foster

Scott Robertson to Succeed Ian Foster

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson will succeed Ian Foster as head coach of the All Blacks after this year’s World Cup, the BBC reports. Robertson has been appointed on a four-year deal which will run to…

Squash Superman Paul Coll Set on World Domination

Squash Superman Paul Coll Set on World Domination

Gravity-defying dive after lung-busting lunge, they called him ‘Superman’ as he captivated crowds around the globe. Now, history-maker, Greymouth-born Paul Coll, is on top of the world at number one and has his sights…

UFC’s Israel Adesanya in His Own Words

UFC’s Israel Adesanya in His Own Words

A world-class striker, an elite entertainer and an enigma on the mic – the mention of the name Israel Adesanya elicits a number of opinions from MMA fans. But for the 32-year-old UFC middleweight…

Va’aiga Tuigamala a Huge Presence on the Field

Va’aiga Tuigamala a Huge Presence on the Field

Samoa-born Va’aiga Tuigamala, a former All Black, and rugby league player for Wigan Warriors and Newcastle Falcons dual-code international, has died in Auckland at the age of 52, BBC Sport reports. Tuigamala, nicknamed Inga the…

Commonwealth Games CE Katie Sadleir Has Big Plans

Commonwealth Games CE Katie Sadleir Has Big Plans

The Commonwealth Games could undergo “dramatic change” by the middle of the next decade, according to its new chief executive, New Zealander Katie Sadleir, BBC sports editor Dan Roan reports. Future hosts will be given…

Commonwealth Games Chief Named as Katie Sadleir

Commonwealth Games Chief Named as Katie Sadleir

New Zealander Katie Sadleir, currently general manager of women’s rugby at World Rugby, has been appointed the first female chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, the BBC reports. Sadleir, 57, will play a leading…

Brilliant New Zealand Show England the Way

Brilliant New Zealand Show England the Way

“England’s dismal second-Test defeat was confirmed inside an hour on the fourth morning at Edgbaston, giving New Zealand a 1-0 series win,” Stephan Shemilt reports for the BBC. “It is England’s first home series defeat…

Scarlets Names Sean Fitzpatrick Board Member

Scarlets Names Sean Fitzpatrick Board Member

Welsh rugby team Scarlets has appointed legendary former New Zealand captain and World Cup winner Sean Fitzpatrick, 57, as a new board member, the BBC reports. Fitzpatrick joins as a non-executive director and global ambassador. “I’m…

Team GB’s First Olympic Surfer is NZer Jay Quinn

Team GB’s First Olympic Surfer is NZer Jay Quinn

New Zealander Jay Quinn, 36, is well-placed to become Team GB’s first surfer at the Olympics – thanks to a rekindled enthusiasm with the sport and his Welsh-born mother. BBC Sport Wales correspondent Dafydd…

All Black Brian Lochore One of Our Greatest Players

All Black Brian Lochore One of Our Greatest Players

Former New Zealand captain and World Cup-winning coach Sir Brian Lochore has died aged 78, the BBC reports. An All Blacks player between 1964 and 1971, he made 68 appearances and captained his country on…

England’s Ben Stokes Nominated for NZer of the Year

England’s Ben Stokes Nominated for NZer of the Year

Christchurch-born Ben Stokes, 28, is already receiving award nominations for his match-winning role in England’s Cricket World Cup win – but not from who you would expect, BBC Sport reports. Despite breaking New Zealand’s heart…

Wayne Pivac to Succeed Warren Gatland as Wales Coach

Wayne Pivac to Succeed Warren Gatland as Wales Coach

“Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac will succeed Warren Gatland as Wales coach on a four-year deal.” BBC reports. “Gatland is stepping down after the 2019 World Cup in Japan and…

New Zealand Women Thrash England in World Cup Semis

New Zealand Women Thrash England in World Cup Semis

England’s women were beaten 52-4 by New Zealand in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup semi-finals at the Southern Cross Group Stadium in Sydney. Tara-Jane Stanley ran over England’s only try in the 21st minute…

New Zealand Cap Fifth Rugby Championship Victory

New Zealand Cap Fifth Rugby Championship Victory

New Zealand has capped their fifth Rugby Championship victory in six years with a 36-10 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires. The earlier 27-27 draw between South Africa and Australia in Bloemfontein had already ensured…

New Zealand Secure Record Win Over South Africa

New Zealand Secure Record Win Over South Africa

World champions New Zealand ran in eight tries as they thumped South Africa 57-0 in Auckland, their biggest winning margin against the Springboks, BBC Sport reports. Victory extended their lead in the four-team Rugby Championship…

How Steven Adams Is Becoming Star of NBA Play-Offs

How Steven Adams Is Becoming Star of NBA Play-Offs

With his long hair and handlebar moustache, Steven Adams, 22, looks like he has stepped out of the 1970s. But this 7ft tall New Zealander with a sleeve of tattoos is fast becoming the…

Valerie Adams is World Athlete of the Year

Valerie Adams is World Athlete of the Year

Shot putter Valerie Adams, unbeaten since August 2010, has been named female World Athlete of the Year for 2014, the first New Zealander to win the award. Two-time Olympic champion Adams, who this season enjoyed…

Kiwis Win Four Nations Title in Wellington

Kiwis Win Four Nations Title in Wellington

New Zealand secured their second Four Nations title as Shaun Johnson shone in a thrilling 22-18 win over Australia at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. New Zealand have proven that they are worthy of calling themselves…

Wales Coach Warren Gatland Receives OBE

Wales Coach Warren Gatland Receives OBE

Head coach of the Wales rugby team, New Zealander Warren Gatland has received an OBE from the Duke of Cambridge for his services to rugby at an investiture ceremony in Windsor Castle. Gatland said he…

Bruce Anstey Cruises to Isle of Man Formula 1 Win

Bruce Anstey Cruises to Isle of Man Formula 1 Win

New Zealander Bruce Anstey dominated the Classic TT Formula 1 race in the Isle of Man with a victory margin of over one minute, setting a record lap speed of 123.894 for two-stroke machines…

Teenage Girl Tackling Men’s Club Rugby

Teenage Girl Tackling Men’s Club Rugby

A teenage girl in Southland has been allowed to play with the big boys, with April Miller, 18, taking to the field at lock in what is typically men’s club rugby. Despite admitting to some…

Conrad Smith Saves the Day in First Test

Conrad Smith Saves the Day in First Test

“Under-strength England pushed New Zealand all the way” in the first of three Tests in the 2014 Steinlager Series, with the All Blacks showing “why they are world champions as Conrad Smith’s last-gasp try…

Bledisloe Cup Whitewash with Win over Wallabies

Bledisloe Cup Whitewash with Win over Wallabies

The All Blacks have maintained their 100 per cent record this year, beating Australia at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin 41-33 to seal a 3-0 Bledisloe Cup whitewash, the BBC reports. Having clinched the…

Cricket Council President Named

Cricket Council President Named

New Zealander Alan Isaac has been appointed the eighth president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) succeeding India’s Sharad Pawar. Isaac, the former chairman of New Zealand Cricket, has spent the past two years…

With A Vision For More Gold

With A Vision For More Gold

New Zealand gold medal eventer Mark Todd, 56, one of only two New Zealanders to compete in six Olympics, says he will ride at his seventh Olympics with a horse “as good as any…

Invaluable Coaching Insights

Invaluable Coaching Insights

World Cup-winning All Black coach Graham Henry, 65, has signed a part-time contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to help develop New Zealand’s coaching talent. Henry had been interested in working for…

Winning Irish Debut

Winning Irish Debut

New Zealand World Cup winner prop John Afoa, 28, has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Ulster. Auckland-born Afoa came on as a replacement in New Zealand’s wins over Japan and Argentina in the…

Defining Great on Eden Park

Defining Great on Eden Park

New Zealand has beaten Australia 3-14 to claim a record ninth straight Tri-Nations victory, and the Bledisloe Cup, at Auckland’s Eden Park. The World Cup favourites scored tries through Ma’a Nonu, Keven Mealamu and…

London Irish Deals

London Irish Deals

All Blacks second row Bryn Evans has signed a two-year deal with London Irish. The Hastings-born lock, who plays for Super Rugby team the Hurricanes and Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand’s domestic…

Versatile Move

Versatile Move

Auckland Blues versatile back Jared Payne is moving to Ulster on a three-year contract where he will play at either wing, centre or full-back. A former New Zealand Under-21 international, Payne made his Super…

Couldn’t Ask For More

Couldn’t Ask For More

New Zealand has clinched their second win at the Cricket World Cup beating Zimbabwe by 1-wickets at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmadabad. Opener Brendan Taylor top-scored with 44 for Zimbabwe but when he…

Easy Opening Match

Easy Opening Match

The Black Caps have begun their World Cup campaign with a resounding win over Kenya, who had “no answer to some outstanding New Zealand bowling, which was full and accurate.” Paceman Hamish Bennett took…

Green and Whites Fan

Green and Whites Fan

New Zealand forward Ali Williams, who has been working his way back to full fitness playing with Nottingham the past month, says he has been won over by the club. “I’m definitely a Nottingham…

Back Row Quality

Back Row Quality

North Harbour back rower Auckland-born Richard Mayhew, who has been attracting interest from several English sides, has joined Esher Rugby in the UK and has a clause in his deal stating he could leave…

Relief for Black Caps

Relief for Black Caps

The New Zealand Black Caps ended their 11-game losing run in one-day internationals thrashing Pakistan in Wellington to take a 1-0 lead in the six-match series. Seamer Tim Southee took a career best 5-33…

Wright takes up reigns

Wright takes up reigns

Former Black Caps test captain and coach of India from 2 to 25, John Wright is the new coach of the New Zealand cricket team, taking over from Mark Greatbach beginning with the Boxing…

They’ve Done it Again

They’ve Done it Again

New Zealand have secured their 13th consecutive Test win beating Australia 2-1 in Christchurch, securing the Bledisloe Cup for the seventh straight year. After their 48-29 hammering when the teams met in Melbourne last…

Hammers Signing

Hammers Signing

Auckland-born Winston Reid, 22, who scored the memorable last-minute equaliser for New Zealand at the World Cup against Slovakia, has signed a three-year contract with English Premier League club West Ham United for an…

Watch out for Laulala

Watch out for Laulala

New Zealand centre Casey Laulala, 27, signed with the Cardiff Blues in July, having turned down Magners League champions Munster. Samoan-born Laulala is described by many as one of the hardest players to contain in broken-field…

Bright Football Star

Bright Football Star

New Zealand striker Kris Bright, 22, has signed a two-year contract with England’s League Two Shrewsbury, and  according to the BBC’s sports blogger Paul Fletcher, “in an era when many footballers are regarded as…

Ospreys Welcome Collins

Ospreys Welcome Collins

Former All Black back-rower Jerry Collins, 28, has signed two-year contract with Welsh Liberty Stadium side the Ospreys having arrived from French team Toulon. Collins says he is taking nothing for granted at his…

Medals From the Velodrome

Medals From the Velodrome

Christchurch omnium champion Hayden Godfrey, 30, has won gold at the Beijing UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classic series. Godfrey beat Great Britain’s Chris Newton in the men’s 60-lap, 15km scratch race final. New…