Midday Sports News for 17 June 2025
White Ferns captain Sophie Devine will retire from one day internationals after this year's World Cup.
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RNZ News
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Origin logistics make Kurt Capewell unlikely starter for Warriors against Panthers
Kurt Capewell has often been deployed in a Warriors midfield hampered by injury. Photo: David Neilson/Photosport Unfavourable travel logistics may save NZ Warriors some heartache over the availability of veteran Kurt Capewell, as they prepare to host four-time defending NRL champions Penrith Panthers at Go Media Stadium this weekend. Capewell - along with five Panthers stars - will take the field for State of Origin II in Perth on Wednesday and face just a three-day turnaround, if they hope to back up for their clubs on Saturday. Penrith and former Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has already ruled out his New South Wales players - son Nathan Cleary, captain Isaah Yeo, fullback Dylan Edwards, winger Brian To'o and second-rower Liam Martin - complaining there are no flights that would allow them to arrive in Auckland in timely fashion. "The Origin players won't be playing, because they can't," Cleary said. "I don't think it's fair that we can't play... we should be able to make that decision. "Through flights, we just can't get them there." The Warriors face a similar dilemma over Capewell, who has been called into the second row for Queensland . "It's going to be pretty hard with those flights, the way it's scheduled," coach Andrew Webster admitted. "The next flight is the redeye the next night, which means he'd arrive home here on Friday morning - it's not looking good. "In the NRL, Origin is the showcase during this period and the club takes a backward seat. Players have always been available if not selected [for Origin] or, if they play, they're available to back up - then it's up to the clubs to decide. "They could say they will physically arrive here on time, but it's very dangerous crossing on a seven-hour flight throughout the night, across a four-hour time difference. It becomes unsafe and people might say, 'Harden up', but there are just too many injuries. "The game is too fast and we just can't afford to lose them." Capewell may be named in some capacity, when the gameday squad is announced on Tuesday evening, but whether he takes the field remains to be seen. The Warriors are already reeling from the loss of co-captain Mitch Barnett, who suffered a season-ending knee injury backing up from Origin I . In that instance, he had an extra day's rest before facing South Sydney Rabbitohs and a far more favourable travel schedule from Brisbane. "We'd look at every situation," Webster reflected. "We made the decision on Mitch after the game, not before. "He texted me 20 minutes after Origin and said, 'I'm ready to go', so you've always got to look at that situation. If Mitch had played 80 [minutes] that night, and had some bumps and bruises, we probably would have said no. "You have to look at it ball by ball and make a decision afterwards. "We'll have a meeting today around Kurt, get our heads together and make sure we're all on the same page as a staff, but it looks unlikely with the flights." Origin stars often front up for their clubs on just a few days' rest, and Barnett may or may not have been a casualty of his own determination not to let his team down - but sometimes coaches must step in to save their players from themselves. With injuries hitting the Warriors midfield, Capewell has often been deployed at centre, where he made his 2020 Origin debut. Rocco Berry looms as a welcome replacement against the Panthers, as he nears a return from persistent hamstring niggles. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
'RunIt' putting clothes on kids and food in fridge, winner says
Champ Betham says the public are overlooking the opportunities created through the new collision craze known as 'RunIt'. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport While they have been derided by many sectors of the public as dangerous, for one RunIt competitor, the phenomenon is putting clothes on the backs of his young children. Champ Betham was the winner in the second night of trials in Auckland, taking home $20,000 and earning a spot on the plane to Dubai for the inaugural event in the Middle East. The Christchurch man said the win has 'helped massively' with financial burdens. "We got to pay off some debts and stock up the fridges and the cupboards, food for our little ones, especially with the economy and stuff like that here in New Zealand. Nothing's cheap these days." He said with the coldest time of the year around the corner, he was blessed to have some relief for his whānau. "We got to stock up on winter clothing and stuff for our babies and just finally having a full fridge. It was just awesome, not having to stress about it for a wee while." Public backlash toward 'run it straight' competitions has been fierce, many lamenting its risk of serious brain injury . This was exacerbated following the tragic death of a teenager imitating the game in Palmerston North. Those to have spoken out against the practice include doctors , [athletes and both New Zealand Rugby and Rugby League. However, Betham said it was the opportunities given to men like himself which were overlooked. "I think that's what the public don't really see is that it's hard these days working long shifts and you still paycheque doesn't really cut it. So this is a massive blessing to a whole heap of us to pretty much try and win 20K or whatever for a couple hours work." Winner of RunIt Trials 2 Champ Betham. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport He said without RunIt, he likely would never get the chance to travel to the United Arab Emirates. "I'm feeling blessed. They're paying for my flights and accommodation and all of that. I think RunIt has opened up a couple of doors for a lot of us, especially Pasifika people." While Pasifika rugby icons Tana Umaga and Ardie Savea have empathised with competitors, saying they understood it was a chance to get ahead in life, executive members of Sports Medicine New Zealand (SMNZ) want the events banned. Dr Stephen Kara, national chair of SMNZ, said the biomechanics of RunIt collisions are comparable to severe car crashes. "When two 105kg participants (average body mass of rugby players) sprint towards each other, the impact force can exceed 16,800 Newtons. This force is over three times that of a professional boxer's punch and more than 1.5 times the force of falling from two meters." While still working a 9-5 job, Betham could envision the sport growing to the point where he was a full-time professional. "I can definitely seeing it elevated into that kind of area, but baby steps." In order to enter the Auckland trials Betham shed down from 143kg to 127kg, to meet the 130kg limit. With the limit for Dubai dropping by a further five kg, Betham has been focused on keeping his weight down ahead of the final showdown. "Just trying to keep it level and just trying to prep the shoulders and the whole upper body for the contact. Keep the shoulders conditioned, you don't want to go on cold turkey." Auckland was originally scheduled to host the RunIt finals in this month, however, their previous hosts, Trusts Arena Stadium opted not to follow through on plans to stage a third event. "Safety of all participants at our venue is paramount and this activity presented safety considerations that we could not overlook," Trusts Arena's general manager of community engagement," a spokesperson for the stadium, told the New Zealand Herald. Betham said there was undoubtedly a psychological aspect to running full speed at another hulking human. "I wouldn't call it fear, it's just sort of like a footy game before you run out into the field. You got a little bit of jitters, but once you make that first contact, everything goes away. So I wouldn't really call it fear, I think it's just a bit of nerves." Betham was bracing for some fierce competition in Dubai. "It's going to be a tough, but I'm backing myself to hopefully come away with a big win." Betham said he is blessed to have some relief for his whānau through his RunIt victory. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport
NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Hawke's Bay Black Sticks goal-up in Nations Cup defence
Hawke's Bay players have scored four of the men's New Zealand Black Sticks' six goals in an unbeaten start to a defence of hockey's FIH men's Nations Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Both games were come-from-behind successes, with recalled players Sam Hiha and Dylan Thomas – called in from the travelling
