Midday Sports News for 8 May 2025
New Zealand Rugby has recorded a financial loss for the third year in a row.
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RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Free cuts a 'win-win' at Mr Barber
Whether you are after a fade, slick back, perm or a buzz cut look no further - a barber training centre in the Auckland CBD is offering free trims. If you do not mind yours being the first hair the apprentice barber has ever cut, that is. Mr Barber, an NZQA approved and registered training centre, is the only barber-specific training centre in Aotearoa. Barbers-in-training are chucked straight into the deep end, practising on real people from day one. At 10am on Thursday outside Mr Barber in the Auckland CBD, the place was already buzzing. For 25 years, Aucklanders have been going to the training school for a free trim, while apprentices snip their way towards a level four certificate in commercial barbering. Danelle Higgins did her barber training at Mr Barber in 2019. Now, alongside her brother Brodie, she is running the course. "We come up from a small town called Murupara. It's all poverty and all of that stuff. I wanted to do something different, help people, get them a qual. I had it hard growing up, so I touch base with a lot of these boys." Would-be barbers complete a 12-week course covering both theory and practical skills. They are then put on placements in barbershops, where they must work 780 hours to complete the qualification. Although the job market has slowed, especially during winter, she said there is no shortage of people applying to join their crew. "We get barber shops calling us up all the time for barber students. We have a barber job page as well, [if] they have job vacancies." Clarence Morrison has just graduated from the three-month programme and is soon heading into a placement. "It was something for like an investment for me. Came from drugs, alcohol, prison sort of background, brought up in foster homes and kind of cheated my way through life. "Those things don't really last, so it's starting from scratch again and this is a good place." Morrison has cut the hair of homeless people, university students, tourists and people popping in for a short back-and-sides during their work lunch break. "It gives some hope, people that are going for a job interview and if they're unsure, you're able to give them some confidence, to be able to step into their day. "It's like [being] little ambassadors for the community." Alex Burnett completed the course with one of his mates and is now a tutor on the course. "I was sort of at a loose end a little bit after school, just doing odd jobs and stuff and I just sort of thought of it as something that would suit me and I gave it a try and never looked back." Burnett said he can have 20 conversations a day with different customers. "We've had a lot of people that have been coming through since the start, and it helps with getting people something that they need and they can get it for free. "It's a win-win, really, because these guys get to get to learn, get to practise on them." When he is not working at a barbershop up on Karangahape Road, Alex works as a part-time a tutor at the school, where he's able to give tips from his own experience. "It gets the nerves out of the way and gets them used to having real people in the chair and having proper conversations, cause it's more than just cutting. "If you've just got a mannequin, all you're doing is cutting, whereas in here, you can talk to your customers [and] you can learn about yourself." Mr Barber was the brainchild of Jacqui Spence and her barber husband Neville, who, when they moved to New Zealand from the United Kingdom, saw the need for a barber-specific course. Jacqui said 90 percent of barbers walk into jobs when they complete it. "They've come through and done something that they've been passionate about and learned a trade and gone forward. "A lot of them have gone on to open their own businesses ultimately and they've raised their family and been able to live a really good life because of it." The school operates from 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday, with free haircuts on offer from 10 - 12pm and 1 - 3pm.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Fans get up close and personal with Crusaders heroes
A hero's welcome has greeted the triumphant Crusaders having restored their Super Rugby supremacy . Hundreds of fans gathered in central Christchurch on Monday to revel in the side's celebrations, less than 48 hours after the side clinched the title for the 15th time. The Crusaders were once again crowned Super Rugby champions, edging the Chiefs 16-12 in Saturday's grand final at Apollo Projects Stadium. Chanting, red and black flags and the familiar ascent of "Conquest of Paradise" coloured the atmosphere as rabid fans got up close and personal with their heroes and the silverware. Celebrations on Cashel Street were also fittingly in full sight of construction of the franchise's forthcoming new home One New Zealand Stadium, also known as Te Kaha. The new multi-use arena is due to open in April. Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon High school teachers Milika Faitotonu and Poe Kairua, both family members of former Crusaders linchpin Richie Mo'unga, were one of the earliest patrons gathered on Cashel Street. Faitotonu said the Crusaders' "spirit and culture" set them apart from other sporting teams. "As [David Havili] said it's the families, the culture. We are a whānau and a family, and family is very important. "It just took a year for Penney to establish that relationship with the boys." The pair said they could not wait to attend games at the new stadium after enduring the wintry clime in Addington for many years. "I think moving from Apollo over to One New Zealand... I think that was the best send-off we could've had, not just for the Crusader fans, but for the whole community," Kairua said. "It takes Christchurch city to get behind the boys and make them a success." Mayor Phil Mauger playfully paid tribute to the squad during formalities. He said he was pleased with the team had won the final as he would have "had to put a hold on the stadium". Crusaders and All Blacks halfback Noah Hotham told RNZ the turnout was "amazing". "Any time we can connect with our fans, our home, it's an awesome time, very special. "You see from last year how much scrutiny we went through, how people started talking about the downfall of the Crusaders. To see how we've come back from that and learned from our mistakes last year, it makes it so much more satisfying." Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon Midfielder Dallas McLeod admitted some of the squad were "slowly recovering" from big post-match celebrations. "We've had a good couple of days with the boys celebrating it so it's been good." The squad had goals at the beginning of the campaign, namely turning things around following last year's ninth-placed finish, McLeod said. "Having Davey (David Havili) as the leader this year has been awesome, driving that alongside the rest of the leaders in the team. So having that goal at the start and working hard to get it done is very cool." It was a double celebration for several Crusaders players, with seven of the squad named in the All Blacks squad earlier in the day for next month's test series against France. Crusaders number eight Christian Lio-Willie was also named in the squad as injury cover for loose forward Luke Jacobsen.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Two newbies named in Tall Ferns FIBA Asia Cup squad
Tayla Dalton (right) defends against You Tang of China. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Two potential debutants have been named in the Tall Ferns squad for the upcoming FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen, China. Head coach Natalie Hurst has named a squad of 12 plus two reserves with Rebecca Pizzey and Olivia Williams in the New Zealand women's basketball team for the first time. "Olivia brings more length on the wing. She's a defensive minded player who shows great instincts at that end, and isn't afraid to make a big play at the offensive end as well. Rebecca is a high IQ player. She also has great length at the defensive end and can stretch the floor at the offensive end. Another mobile big who can handle the ball for us, which is incredibly valuable with Sharne Robati not being available," Hurst said. The squad maintains a solid-core group of players from May's Trans-Tasman Throwdown, with guard Tayla Dalton returning, University of Hawai'i standout Ritorya Tamilo, and forward Charlotte Whittaker who has recently finished her French season with Toulouse. "I'm excited about a few things with this group, including the mix of youth and experience we have. Especially getting access to some of the ladies either finishing college or on their breaks, so we're stoked to welcome them into the group. Obviously with the Trans-Tasman Throwdown we blooded a lot of new squad members, who we now see heading to their first Asia Cup." The team is in a tough group alongside China, Indonesia and Korea. "We target the first two games and then see what happens from there," Hurst said. The Tall Ferns will get their FIBA Asia Cup campaign started against Korea on July 14th, before backing up against Indonesia the following day. The Tall Ferns final pool play match is against China on 16th July. Hurst said success would be getting through to the next round. McKenna Dale, guard/forward, Tauranga Whai & Mandurah Magic Tayla Dalton, guard, Townsville Flames Bailey Flavell, guard, Northern Kāhu & Launceston Tornadoes Pahlyss Hokianga, guard, Tauranga Whai Esra McGoldrick, guard/forward, Mainland Pouākai & Casey Cavaliers Rebecca Pizzey, forward, Eltham Wildcats* Emme Shearer, guard, Mackay Meteorettes Ashlee Strawbridge, forward, Mainland Pouākai & West Adelaide Bearcats Ritorya Tamilo, centre, University of Hawai'i Ella Tofaeono, forward/centre, Melbourne Tigers Charlotte Whittaker, forward, Toulouse Metropole Basket Olivia Williams, guard, University of California - Irvine* *denotes debutant Reserves: Ella Brow, guard, Baylor University Maia Jones, guard, Santa Clara University
