Sports News for 15 July 2025
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RNZ News
30 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Patience pays off for recalled All Black George Bower
George Bower. Photo: PhotoSport / Martin Hunter All Blacks v France Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 19 July FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton Live blog updates on RNZ It's been three years since George Bower last played for the All Blacks and he concedes there were times he thought he may never make it back to the national side. The prop initially missed out on selection in the All Blacks squad to play France, but was called in after his Crusaders teammate Tamaiti Williams was ruled out of the three match series with injury. Bower is on the bench for Saturday's third and final test in Hamilton and is likely to get on the field for his 23rd test. "I'm very excited. It's my first time in 2025 pulling on the black jersey, but also my first time in a long time," Bower said. "My last test was in 2022 against England over there. It's been three years of grind and hard work to get back into the team. I'm super grateful to be back here and hopefully getting an opportunity on Saturday." George Bower last played for the All Blacks in 2022. Photo: Christiaan Kotze / Bower describes himself as an optimist, but he concedes he had the odd negative thought about his prospects of earning an All Blacks recall. "Every now and then, like everyone else, it does creep in," Bower said. "Every time you're in this environment, you're never certain when you're going to wear the jersey again. So I cherish that (being in the All Blacks) a lot more now. I'm definitely going to cherish that moment if I do get that opportunity to play. "Those moments (of doubt) did creep in, but it was important just to keep ticking away, to keep having faith and trust in my skills and strengths." Bower did entertain going offshore, but said his desire to play for the All Blacks again kept him in Aotearoa. "There was always a focus for me to try and get back into the squad," he said. "There was opportunities where I could've gone overseas, but there was a stronger pull here in New Zealand to stay home and contribute what I can here in New Zealand rugby." Bower's next ambition is to be named in the All Blacks Rugby Championship squad. The annual four-nation tournament kicks off on 17 August, with New Zealand's opening match in Argentina. "That is another goal, to get named in that next squad. First things first I've got to put on that jersey and do what I can to help the team perform. Then the rest will take care of itself." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
an hour ago
- Otago Daily Times
Go behind the scenes with champion racer
Queenstown ski racer Alice Robinson, and one of her coaches, Tim Cafe, are the main attractions at a QAST fundraiser next month. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Queenstowners will have a rare chance to hear from champion ski racer Alice Robinson, and one of her home-grown coaches, at a special fundraising event next month. Robinson, 23, and Tim Cafe will be the guest speakers at Arthurs Point's Cargo Brew Hall for 'A Night Behind the Scenes: Chasing World Cup and Olympic Glory' on August 14, from 6pm. The in-depth conversation will give some insights into what it takes to compete, and succeed, at the pinnacle of world sport, with Robinson and Cafe sharing their journey to international podium success. QAST programme director Celine Arnold says the event will take a "deep dive" into Robinson's recent remarkable northern hemisphere world season, in which she won New Zealand's first-ever FIS Alpine World Championship medal, bringing home a silver in giant slalom, and finishing second overall in the world champs and World Cup standings. "It all started for Alice with QAST, and we're very proud of what she has gone on to achieve," Arnold says. Cafe, who's also a former QAST athlete, has also had a successful ski career, culminating in his selection for the 2010 Winter Olympics. "He will outline his role from a coaching perspective, and discuss the planning, training, setbacks, challenges and triumphs involved in chasing World Cup podiums, world championship medals and Olympic dreams. "It's an opportunity for the whole community to celebrate such an acclaimed local sporting duo and at the same time meet some of Queenstown's up-and-coming ski talent and help support the next generation of champions as they pursue their world stage ambitions," Arnold says. Tickets, via cost $165 per person, which includes food and drink, with a fundraising auction also planned. All proceeds will go to QAST to support its programme and athletes.
NZ Herald
5 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Black Caps v Zimbabwe: Twenty20 Tri-series live updates from Harare
Advertise with NZME. All the action as the Black Caps face hosts Zimbabwe in their second match of the Twenty20 Tri-series Black Caps give Walter coaching debut victory, topple Proteas in Tri-series Rob Walter's tenure as Black Caps head coach has begun with victory over his former charges, as New Zealand sealed a 21-run win over South Africa in Harare. Even missing their Major League Cricket finalists, the Black Caps held their nerve against an even more depleted Proteas side already on the board in their Twenty20 Tri-Series with Zimbabwe. Taking to the field for the first time under their new coach, the Black Caps were superior to the Proteas in all three departments - batting, bowling and fielding - and were able to give younger players vital experience in the lead-in to next year's T20 World Cup. From a top-order wobble, an unbeaten 103-run partnership between the inexperienced duo of Tim Robinson (75 not out) and debutant Bevon Jacobs (44 not out) laid the platform for New Zealand to post 173/5 from their 20 overs. Then, showing his wares as the world's No 1 ranked T20 bowler, Jacob Duffy snared 3/20 with the ball - in tandem with Matt Henry (3/34) - to restrict South Africa to 152. Victory takes the Black Caps to the top of the T20 Tri-series table, albeit courtesy of net-run rate, with three more matches up their sleeve before a prospective final. What's more, Walter can and will likely call on the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell for their next encounter, against Zimbabwe on Friday at the same venue. After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the Black Caps lost regular wickets to jeopardise their chances of a big total, on a wicket that South Africa had chased down 142 against Zimbabwe two days earlier. South Africa's bowlers struck regularly to restrict the Black Caps to 74/5 at the halfway point, as senior batters Devon Conway (9), Daryl Mitchell (5) and Jimmy Neesham (0) departed early, and left New Zealand at 74/5 at the halfway stage. But Robinson held the innings together, and passed 50 from 42 balls after having been dropped on 26, as he and Jacobs raised a fifty partnership in 39 balls. Only playing after the delayed arrival of the Black Caps' Major League Cricket contingent, Robinson made the most of his chance to bat at No 3, and registered his highest score for his country - so far. With his score on just seven off 13 balls at the end of the power play, Robinson hit six fours and three sixes to walk off with an unbeaten 75 off 57 as the bulk of New Zealand's total. At the other end, Robinson found a valuable ally in Jacobs (44 not out). Having been forced to be patient since December 2024 for his debut, Jacobs showed his promise was worth the wait for the Black Caps. The 23-year-old absorbed the pressure of South Africa's spinners, before cashing in at the back end of the innings, including hitting three sixes to boost New Zealand's scorecard. While the pair's first 50 runs came in 39 balls, their second needed only 22, as Robinson and Jacobs' unbroken stand of 103 runs for the sixth wicket - a record against South Africa - lifted the total to 173/5 when they walked off. But while South Africa might have had a depleted bowling attack, New Zealand didn't. Even as Lhuan-Dre Pretorius (27) gave the Proteas a bright start, Henry found his outside edge through to Seifert in the fourth over, before taking the catch to dismiss Rubin Hermann at mid-on off Duffy in the fifth. Advertise with NZME. South Africa reached the end of the power play at 50/2, but captain Mitchell Santer's introduction immediately after yielded the wicket of Reeza Hendricks, as a flatter ball didn't spin and crashed into the stumps. Ish Sodhi joined his captain one over later, and hit Senuran Muthusamy's middle stump to leave South Africa 60/4, which then became 63/5 when Santner ran out opposite skipper Rassie van der Dussen with a back-flick after a wayward throw from Seifert. South Africa's hopes were then pinned on Dewald Brevis, who responded by hitting Santner back over his head for six, to leave his side needing 98 from the last 60 balls. Brevis continued to attack, launching Henry for two sixes in one over to raise South Africa's 100, only for the Black Caps to have the last laugh when he found Mitchell at long-off for an 18-ball 35. Some lusty blows from George Linde (30) kept South Africa alive, and reduced the equation to 31 needed from the last 18 balls. Duffy, though, ultimately landed the decisive blow, when Linde pulled straight to Conway on the square leg boundary, and left the Proteas' tail with too much to do. Despite shades of a front-foot no-ball, Duffy had Kwena Maphaka caught at short cover by Santner first ball, for Ngidi to survive the hat-trick ball, before Henry completed the victory with Gerald Coetzee's wicket at the other end.
