Sports Chat for 7 August 2025
Tags:
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Plea for contract rules around international rugby fixtures to be enforced
Inoke Afeaki when he was Tonga rugby captain after a match against Fiji in Nadi on 5 July 2003. Photo: PHOTOSPORT A former Tonga rugby captain says it's unlikely Super Rugby contracts explicitly state New Zealand-based Pasefika players can't play for their home nations. Inoke Afeaki's comment comes after reports New Zealand-based players of Pacific heritage are being contractually restricted from playing for teams other than the All Blacks or their clubs. Afeaki spoke to Pacific Waves about it. Flying Fijian's coach Mick Byrne told RNZ Pacific last month that New Zealand-based players of Pacific Island heritage have signed letters of agreement attached to their contracts that bar them from playing for teams other than the All Blacks. Meanwhile, New Zealand Rugby said contracted players were free to choose which national team they represented. Afeaki said while restrictions around national representation wasn't put in any "real black and white clauses", club contracts often included certain dates players had to be available. "They'll put in dates… saying: 'This is the period that you're available and you have to focus on this'. But there's clear intent to keep them… from going away and playing international matches," he said. New Zealand Rugby have said its five Super Rugby clubs (Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes) were allowed to contract up to three "non-NZ eligible players". These included players who had already played internationally, including for Pacific nations like Fiji or Tonga, as well as players who had declared their intention to play internationally for a non-New Zealand team. Under the organisation's rules, those in the latter category were ineligible for New Zealand's national teams. "All other players contracted to NZR's five Super Rugby clubs have declared their availability and intention to represent NZ national teams over the duration of their contract," a New Zealand Rugby spokesperson said. Afeaki said players understood why clubs needed them to be available at certain dates. He also said it happened in clubs "everywhere" including in Japan and the UK. "The players know that they're signing their contract because the team need them when the international players from that team - say the All Blacks - go away. "They need us island boys making sure that we're keeping their team strong. "The clubs are making decisions to keep their team strong while they lose their best players to their national team. Our boys know that it's the reason why they're being contracted." Afeaki believed World Rugby - the sport's overarching governing body - needed to take a tougher stance on international fixtures being booked outside its set test match windows. The body has set periods over the year for international test matches. These were primarily around July and November. He said a range of problems stemmed from dates around the test period. For example, players of Pacific heritage may not be released by clubs to represent their home nations simply because other club players - like All Blacks - received preferential status for international matches, Afeaki said. Players of Pacific heritage could also fail to secure a release because their home nation had scheduled a test match outside of World Rugby's test windows, he said. In that instance, Afeaki said clubs could come back and say the release period violated the player's contract. He believed both scenarios were unacceptable and resulted in players being put in a difficult position, particularly because big competitions like Super Rugby often offered lucrative contracts to players. Afeaki said any international fixtures within the test windows should supersede club obligations, and that should be enforced by governing bodies like World Rugby and New Zealand Rugby. "It's the game off the field. "The regulation … clearly says that all players are allowed to play for their country during that test window. And what clubs and rugby unions are doing is clearly out of that regulation, and that's breaking the law in the game. "They should be embarrassed." Inoke Afeaki played for Tonga in the 1995 and 2003 Rugby World Cups. He has played professionally and coached clubs and unions around the world, including in New Zealand, France and Japan.
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
White Ferns immersed in conditions ahead of Cricket World Cup
The White Ferns are leaving no stone unturned ahead of this year's Cricket World Cup in India. Linking up with the Chennai Super Kings, a select group of New Zealand batters are spending weeks immersed in the conditions they're likely to face at the global tournament in September. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
Former teen prodigy Lachlan Brook backs A-League youth approach
Lachlan Brook has set his sights on an Auckland FC starting spot. Photo: Supplied Auckland FC's latest signing first played in the A-League as a teenager for his hometown club and, nearly a decade on, Lachlan Brook believes a focus on youth is good for the competition. In recent season, A-League teams have turned to young players to fill squads, partly as a cost-cutting measure and partly as more young players show they deserve game-time. Years before that, Brook made his senior debut for Adelaide United as a 16-year-old, after coming through the youth system. He played 29 times and was named the club's Youth Player of the Year for the 2017/18 season. A move overseas for the winger, including a three-year deal with English Championship club Brentford before, a loan to Crew Alexandra, an A-League return with Western Sydney Wanderers and then a Major League Soccer stint with Real Salt Lake ended with mixed results. Brook is back in the A-League , chasing a place in the Socceroos squad for next year's Football World Cup and more immediately game-time. "When you're not playing games and you're living far from home, it's a big sacrifice to be away, when you're not doing what you love," the former Australia U18 and U23 representative said. "For me, being closer to home and family and stuff is going to be huge in helping me get to that stage." Lachlan Brook (right) last appeared in the A-League with Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: DEAN LEWINS Brook last played in the A-League in the 2023/24 season, but he said the biggest change he had noticed in the league since he was first involved was who was playing. "There's a lot of younger players coming through, which is obviously really good for our game. "I think a lot of clubs now are focusing on pushing through young players. Maybe five or so years ago, [they were] getting players from overseas that are maybe 33, 34 that aren't as motivated as a young player. "I think clubs are starting to realise that you're going to get more out of a young player that's motivated to do well than maybe someone older. "You're seeing more and more players that are playing young and then going overseas, which I think, for the brand of New Zealand and Australian football, that's huge... and obviously for our national teams as well, that's only going to help in getting our name out there." Brook feels "really old", despite being only 24. "Young players coming through now, I'm seeing how hard they work and the level that they are, compared to maybe what I was and some of the other boys my age were. It's crazy. "Honestly, these players are really good and, obviously, they've got a lot of support around them to get themselves better as well. I think it's a really great model for these clubs to have helping these young players go overseas." Brook joins an Auckland side that will have a few changes in their second A-League season and the newcomer has his sights on securing a starting spot. "I don't go anywhere without wanting to start, but obviously, there's really good players here and healthy competition is always good - that's something I'm definitely striving for." Coach Steve Corica said Brook would be a winger or No.10 for the team. "We want players that want to start all the time," he said. "It's good competition and a fresh face. "We don't want any complacency from any of the other boys, after what we did last year . That's well and gone now, it's a new season, new players will come into the squad and freshen up the squad, and hopefully drive the other players to more success." Corica said they were close to signing a new striker. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
