Reflecting on ANZAC Days past and present
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Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Otago to open 100th Plunket Shield season against Wellington
The Plunket Shield hits a ton. Well, sort of. The shield was introduced in 1906, and was competed for on a challenge basis similar to the Ranfurly Shield. But it was put on the line for the inaugural first-class season in 1921-22. First-class cricket was played in New Zealand well before that date, but a structured competition was introduced only that summer. Five seasons were wiped out during World War 2, which makes the 2025-26 season the 100th. Happy birthday. New Zealand Cricket statistician Francis Payne said it was "a significant milestone for the game in this country and one worth celebrating". The opening round in the centennial season gets under way on November 18. Otago will travel to the capital to play Wellington at the Basin Reserve, Central Districts will host Auckland in Palmerston North, and Canterbury will play Northern Districts in Rangiora. Otago's first home game is against arch rivals Canterbury. The game begins on November 26. The Volts have two more games before Christmas, including a home fixture against Central Districts beginning on December 13. The competition goes into hiatus during the traditional holiday period when the Super Smash will take place. It returns in late February and March for four more rounds. Otago's final two games of the season will be hosted at the University Oval. The Volts have not won the Plunket Shield since 1987-88. Northern Districts are the defending champions, but there have been five different winners in the past five seasons. Otago are certainly due. Plunket Shield — Otago's draw • Wellington, Basin Reserve, Nov 18-21 • Canterbury, University Oval, Nov 26-29 • Northern Districts, Seddon Park, Dec 5-8 • Central Districts, University Oval, Dec 13-16 • Canterbury, Hagley Oval, Feb 28-March 3 • Auckland, Eden Park Outer Oval, March 9-12 • Northern Districts, University Oval, March 18-21 • Wellington, University Oval, March 27-30
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
New stadium to host Super Round
Christchurch's One New Zealand Stadium will host Super Round in Super Rugby Pacific next year. Super Round is making a return and heading to the South Island. Christchurch's new One New Zealand Stadium will host five Super Rugby Pacific matches across one weekend next year, as the entire competition descends on the South Island. The round will encompass Anzac Day, being held from April 24 to 26, and is being touted as the first major event to be held at the new stadium. A full draw is yet to be confirmed for the round. The Crusaders will play on the Friday night against a yet-to-be-specified opponent. On Anzac Day the Hurricanes will face the Brumbies for the Captain Shout Cup, and the Blues play the Reds for the Sellars Dixon Medal. There was not yet an indication of who the Highlanders would face. Super Round was hosted in Melbourne from 2022 to 2024, but was not held this year after the demise of the Rebels. It will be the first time the event has been held in New Zealand. Colin Mansbridge, Crusaders CEO, said the franchise was proud to bring this event to their home base. "This event is bigger than rugby, it's a celebration of One New Zealand Stadium coming to life. "I'm stoked the new stadium is going to host rugby, concerts and an amazing array of community events – but there's no better way to kick it off than recognise the DNA of this region and start with Super Round hosted by Super Rugby Pacific and the very grateful Crusaders club." Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger said the event was hugely exciting for the city. "The opening event at One New Zealand Stadium will be a major milestone in the remarkable comeback story of our city and it is great to share that with our friends and neighbours from all across the country, Australia and the Pacific. "We are really proud to be able to launch this amazing venue on behalf of Christchurch and know it will be a place where great memories are made." One New Zealand Stadium is scheduled to be opened in April. - Allied Media
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Watch: Sir John Walker broke the world record for the mile 50 years ago today
It was 50 years ago today that Sir John Walker achieved one of the great moments in New Zealand athletics. On 12 August 1975 Walker broke the world record for the mile. Twenty-three-year-old Walker lined up at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden with the aim of breaking the record and also wanting to go under three minutes and 50 seconds. Tanzanian Filbert Bayi, Walker's great rival from the 1974 Commonwealth Games, had set a new mark of 3:51.0 in May 1975. Sir John Walker and coach, Arch Jelley, 1980. Photo: Bayi had beaten Walker for gold in the 1500m final at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, breaking that world record along the way. Walker's coach Arch Jelley said Walker went to Europe in 1975 in great form. "We thought he would do it," Jelley told RNZ. "He was in very good shape. I always thought he was capable of doing it and on that day in Gothenburg if he'd been paced he would have done very much faster." Walker had to do it all himself over the latter part of the race as he was cheered on by a vocal crowd who new a world best time was on the cards. "I knew as soon as I crossed the line, the reaction from the crowd that I had broken the world record, but I didn't know that I had run under 3:50," Walker said some years later. "It wasn't until a watch was thrust under my face that I realised I'd broken 3:50." He didn't just break the record, he smashed it taking 1.6 seconds off the time set by Bayi a month earlier. John Walker running the 1500m at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Photo: Photosport His time of 3:49.4 was exactly 10 seconds faster than Roger Bannister did 21 years earlier when he became the first person to break the four minute barrier for the mile. His achievement followed the likes of fellow New Zealand greats Jack Lovelock, Yvette Williams, Marise Chamberlain and Sir Peter Snell to have broken world records. Coach Jelley said getting an early phone call at his home in Auckland with the news that Walker had broken the record was something he would never forget. "Absolutely because when I woke up on August the 13th it was my birthday (53rd birthday) and John had just broken the world record, so it was a very good birthday present." The achievement shot Walker into stardom, however at the time he didn't realise the significance of it. "It wasn't until I got back to the hotel room when all the adulation had died down, the victory laps, the kisses, the flowers the waving to the crowd had gone, it wasn't until I got back to the hotel room and settled down with a couple of beers that the phone started ringing from all over the world, then I realised what I'd done." Sir John Walker went on to win the Olympic gold in 1976, while his mile record stood until 1979 when it was lowered by Sebastian Coe. Walker now lives with Parkinson's disease. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
