Former Irish prop to coach stags
New Southland Stags coach Nathan White will have a hectic start to his provincial coaching career.
White, a former Irish prop, who played for Waikato and the Chiefs, was named as co-coach for the side in something of a surprise move. He is expected in the South sometime later this month. No firm starting date could be provided.
Rugby Southland in a statement last week said head of performance and Stags co-coach Matt Saunders was moving on. He was taking up an opportunity with Foodstuffs and operating the Otatara Four Square.
Saunders, who had been in the role since 2022, previously operated the Tapanui Four Square.
White is a former Toyota Verblitz forwards coach, having worked alongside former All Black coaches Ian Foster and Steve Hansen. White will be the co-coach with James Wilson.
Union pathways manager Scott Eade has been promoted to assistant coach for the side, with responsibility for defence.
Speaking on Saunders' departure, Rugby Southland chief executive Hua Tamariki acknowledged the mixed emotions within the organisation.
"While we're gutted to see Matt go. He leaves with my full support and that of everyone involved in our union," Tamariki said.
He said the timing was far from ideal, but the situation was outside Saunders' control.
"We've had to act quickly to ensure we maintain continuity and momentum heading into this year's NPC campaign."
Tamariki paid tribute to Saunders and said he was a steady and dependable leader.
Eade had the full support of the union.
"He's self-driven, an exceptional planner, and possesses a unique ability to connect with players across all levels. His inclusion in the Stags' coaching group was always a matter of when, not if," Tamariki said.
Tamariki said White should fit in easily.
"Originally from Waikato, Nathan has a deep connection to provincial rugby and will fit seamlessly into our community. His skills and leadership will be a great complement to James and the entire coaching group as we move closer to NPC kick-off."
White played for Waikato and the Chiefs. In Ireland, he played for Leinster and Connacht.
He played 13 tests for Ireland in 2015-16 before retiring because of concussion in 2016. He started his coaching career by helping out at Connacht.
Rugby Southland also confirmed last year's forwards coach, Kane Thompson, would be unable to return in 2025 due to international coaching commitments with Manu Samoa. Daryl Thompson will be the set piece coach and Marty McKenzie the skills coach.
Southland's first game of the NPC is against Otago in Invercargill on August 2.— APL
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The Spinoff
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Young adults (otherwise known as teenagers) can be a tough crowd. What all of these books do is simply tell a story, build worlds, with teenage protagonists at the heart of them. Kiri Lightfoot's Bear is akin to acclaimed Patrick Ness novel, A Monster Calls, in that it uses a metaphoric beast to represent Jasper's rage, fear and consuming emotional undertow. Steph Matuku (no stranger to these awards) has written a brilliant dystopian sci-fi that reflects our present-day conflicts all too well. The Mess of Our Lives by Mary-Anne Scott is a story of overcoming an extremely challenging home life; while Mandy Hager (also no stranger to these awards) has written a story that centres on themes of identity and inclusion. First-time author Sanna Thompson is the wild card here: you can read an excerpt from The Paradise Generation over on Kete Books. 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Ross Calman's The Treaty of Waitangi | Te Tiriti o Waitangi is extremely useful: highly illustrated, clearly written, an all-ages text, really. Mila's Books are the only all-Pasifika publishing house in the world and they consistently put out books made by and for Pasifika children and families. Tui Pea Luva is Grant's poetry collection which passes down the wisdom of Pasifika women. David Riley's Reading Warrior is a multi-faceted organisation that publishes books, creates projects in collaboration with communities, runs workshops and puts student writing into print. Black Magic continues Reading Warrior's focus on sporting heroics with the story of how we got our all black uniforms with a silver fern. Russell Clark Award for Illustration Alice and the Strange Bird by Isaac du Toit (Isaac du Toit) Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro, illustrated by Rehua Wilson (Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa), written by Elizabeth Gray (Ngāti Rēhia, Ngāti Uepōhatu, Tama Ūpoko ki te awa tipua, Ngāti Tūwharetoa anō hoki) (Huia Publishers) Poem for Ataahua, illustrated by Sarah Wilkins, written by Alistair Te Ariki Campbell (Reading Warrior) Sad Sushi, Anna Aldridge (Anna Aldridge) You Can't Pat a Fish by Ruth Paul (Walker Books Australia) It's always amazing to me how illustrators find angles, perspectives, and wordless narratives that bring a text to life. Sarah Wilkins' illustrations for Poem for Ataahua first caught my eye on Instagram: they're stunning, ethereal. Wilkins is longlisted for the World Illustration Awards 2025 for this same work (selected from 5000 entries from 81 countries). I also adore Ruth Paul's bold style: there's such comedy in the images that work so well with Paul's rollicking rhyme (hard to do but Paul does it so well). Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award Finalists A Ariā me te Atua o te Kūmara by Witi Ihimaera (Te Whānau a Kai, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngāti Porou), illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu), translated by Hēni Jacob (Ngāti Raukawa) (Penguin Random House New Zealand) *Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro by Elizabeth Gray (Ngāti Rēhia, Ngāti Uepōhatu, Tama Ūpoko ki te awa tipua, Ngāti Tūwharetoa anō hoki), illustrated by Rehua Wilson (Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa) (Huia Publishers) Ka mātoro a Whetū rāua ko Kohu i Rotorua by Hayley Elliott-Kernot, translated by Te Ingo Ngaia (Taranaki, Ngāruahine, Te Ātiawa, Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Whakaue, Te Whānau-a-Karuai ) (Round Door Design) Ko ngā Whetū Kai o Matariki, ko Tupuānuku rāua ko Tupuārangi by Miriama Kamo (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga), illustrated by Zak Waipara (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Ruapani, Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongowhakaata), translated by Ariana Stevens (Poutini Ngāi Tahu) (Scholastic New Zealand) * Ngā Kupenga a Nanny Rina by Qiane Mataa-Sipu (Te Waiohua, Waikato, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Pikiao, Cook Islands), illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu) (Penguin Random House New Zealand) * Indicates a finalist book originally written in te reo Māori A specialist judging panel was enlisted to analyse the merits of these books either translated into te reo Māori or originally written in te reo Māori. 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RNZ News
a day ago
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Waikato Council installed 'stupid' road layout on back of six complaints
The chicanes being used for the new road layour. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie A council that installed chicanes on a once quiet country lane-turned-rat-run to force drivers to reduce speed, did so after only six formal complaints and without consulting the community. The move infuriated Tamahere residents near Hamilton , who say the reflector hipsticks and one-lane chicanes are a major crash hazard during fog and at certain times of the day with sun strike. At an explosive public meeting in the sought-after Waikato country suburb on Tuesday night, the majority of about 70 residents who attended, demanded Waikato District Council end the trial now. "My suggestion is the trial is over," one man said to a round of applause. "I think the quicker they're removed the better and I think we're now sitting in a stupid, dangerous situation there." The four-month trial of four chicanes on a stretch of Birchwood Lane was introduced without notice in mid-May and was due to run until September after the council received six formal complaints and other emails about excessive speed on the road. The backlash was immediate, with residents bemoaning the new road layout on social media and rejoicing when vandals removed two of the chicanes just four days later. The new layout. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie Council general manager of service delivery Megan May apologised at the meeting for the lack of consultation and pointed to data taken from a week in 2022 which showed the average speed of drivers on the 50 kilometres an hour road was 61kmh. A small number were travelling faster than 70kmh. She said the speeding appeared to be from motorists passing through the area who were trying to avoid congestion at the Airport Rd roundabout and Tamahere on-ramp to the Waikato Expressway. "Rat-runners" were instead detouring through Tamahere back roads including Birchwood Lane, she said. The lane became a feeder route to the city and other parts of Tamahere that had their access to Hamilton closed with the opening of Alfred Main Drive, which only provides access to nearby Hamilton suburb Hillcrest. An aerial view of Birchwood Lane in Tamahere shows the road is a feeder for Newell Rd and also traffic from Airport Rd into the Hamilton suburb of Hillcrest via Alfred Main Dr. Traffic using Alfred Main Dr cannot access the Waikato Expressway. Photo: RNZ/Googlemaps But Birchwood Lane resident Andrew Mowbray pointed out the data showed the speeding was largely confined to between 8am to 9am and 2pm to 3pm, when the nearby Tamahere Model Country School started and ended each day, pointing to residents as the speedsters. Mowbray argued the road had the wrong speed limit and could cope with 60kmh which was why the average speed was 10kmh above the speed limit and pointed to surrounding roads which were 60kmh. Another resident queried how many crashes had occurred on the road during the three years since the data was collected; the answer was two. One of those was a drunk driver who was charged by police. A Waikato Hospital emergency department doctor and Tamahere resident queried how the chicanes protected children and pedestrians using the Birchwood Lane cycleway to get to and from school, the shops and the park, when none offered a way for pedestrians to cross the road. She asked why a speed camera and pedestrian crossings including on nearby Wiremu Tamihana Dr weren't considered instead. Waikato District road policing manager inspector Jeff Penno said to be eligible for a speed camera the road must have a documented crash risk. Birchwood Lane didn't. Penno told the meeting he was surprised at the new road layout because of the potential for head-on crashes. "The police have concerns about the conflict of vehicles. We've been there the last two weeks - we are seeing vehicles speed up to get through." Residents pointed out there was no indication of who was supposed to give way. Penno said police recently issued 129 speeding tickets. Residents felt the chicanes were pointless because they didn't effectively address the speeding concerns or make the road safer for pedestrians. Other traffic calming measures including a painted median-barrier strip pushed cars into potholes and loose gravel, which one man said was extremely dangerous. "S*** I hope the council's preparing themselves for a head-on accident. You guys are gonna be liable. You really will because you've had the feedback, you know it's dangerous and your proposal is you would like to carry on with the trial." When May asked if the council should wait until there was a death or a child hit on the road before the council did something a woman replied pointing out a lot of people believed the road was more dangerous now. "How would you feel if someone was killed because of what you've put in? That's what we're hearing tonight." Resident Lauren McLean said she supported the trial and asked what the community gained if the speed increased to 60khm. "Tell me what we lose. If we have trucks going down there at 60 or 70, we start degrading the road and trust me I live on Birchwood Lane, I see the trucks go past every day. "We make it less safe for our children to cross. We make it less safe for people using the cycle path. We make it less safe for horses. We make it noisy for residents." 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