Former Kiwis player Kevin Proctor backs run it straight after ‘serious brain injury', seizure in Dubai
Kevin Proctor, who played 283 NRL games and represented the Kiwis on 22 occasions, took
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NZ Herald
15 hours ago
- NZ Herald
All Blacks v Argentina: World media react to Rugby Championship opening victory
The All Blacks went into No 1 on the world rankings earlier on Sunday courtesy of the Wallabies' shock win over South Africa that sent the Springboks below Ireland into third on the rankings. And the Kiwis avoided the surprise comeback that brought down South Africa in Johannesburg, by recovering their composure with two tries from replacement Samisoni Taukei'aho. Winger Sevu Reece was also on form with a try double while Cortez Ratima continued to shine at No 9 before being replaced by Finlay Christie. Ardie Savea was in imperious form and was in charge down the stretch as the visitors brought home the victory. 'Dominant but cluttered' Lynn McConnell, Action Press Dominant on the scoreboard but cluttered during the third quarter, the All Blacks opened their Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship campaign with a 41-24 win over Argentina in Cordoba on Sunday (NZT). Out by 31-10 at halftime, the All Blacks struggled as Argentina battled back to [31-24] as loose forwards Pablo Matera and Marcos Kremer and hooker Julian Montoya pushed the All Blacks hard, while first five-eighths Tomas Albornoz controlled their performance and scored a superb try. But once they cleared their mistakes, the All Blacks looked the dominant side, especially in lineouts, where loose forward Tupou Vaa'i, lock Fabian Holland and replacement Patrick Tuipulotu took charge. All Blacks first five-eighths Beauden Barrett looks on as the scrum hits. Photo / SmartFrame In the loose, Ardie Savea was in his element and Vaa'i continued his growth on the blindside flank. Consistency and fluidity across the game were still elusive for the All Blacks, but they showed that when they were able to gain control, they had too much skill for the Argentinians to contain. 'Superiority showed' Mark Gleeson, Reuters Winger Sevu Reece and substitute hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho scored two tries each as New Zealand saw off an Argentina resurgence to open their Rugby Championship campaign with a 41-24 win in Cordoba ... Cortez Ratima and Ardie Savea also scored tries for New Zealand while Rodrigo Isgro, Tomas Albornoz and Joaquin Oviedo went over for the home team. Beauden Barrett kicked a penalty and four conversions while Albornoz slotted over a penalty and three conversions for a personal tally of 14 points. The All Blacks' superiority showed through, although they had to see off a second-half surge from Argentina who were 31-10 down at the break but fought back to trail 31-24 before New Zealand closed out the match. 'Argentina's ambition shattered' Lawrence Nolan, PlanetRugby Argentina's ambition to start the new Rugby Championship season with a first-ever home win over the All Blacks was shattered in Cordoba as the six-try visitors bagged a deserved 41-24 round-one win. The hosts had hoped to overcome the disjointedness of their recent series loss to England, but the plethora of errors that cost them in that [2-0] loss weren't eradicated. They fought back admirably in the second half to cut a 10-31 deficit to seven points, but they could have no complaints about their eventual 17-point demise, confirmed by a pair of late maul tries from Samisoni Taukei'aho. There was a 77th-minute yellow card for Anton Lienert-Brown following his head contact with [Santiago] Chocobares, but that second sin-binning wasn't going to spoil the New Zealand party. They will now go to Buenos Aires confident of securing a repeat win next weekend in round two. 'Patchy performance' Liam Napier, NZ Herald The theme of patchy performance continues for the All Blacks, but in their bid to reclaim the Rugby Championship crown, they bagged a valuable bonus-point victory against the Pumas in Argentina and will seek to amend another second-half fade. Two late tries from replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho pushed New Zealand clear after the Pumas threatened to pull off a spirited second-half comeback. The All Blacks, playing their first test in Cordoba, were greeted by a festival atmosphere. The buoyant 55,725 crowd at Estadio Mario Kempes bounced and sang before kickoff but were soon silenced as the All Blacks scored three first-half tries – one of those after Pumas prop Mayco Vivas copped a yellow card – to fashion a commanding 31-10 lead. Last year's frequent and frustrating second-half fades threatened to return with a vengeance but just as the Pumas dared to dream of their maiden home victory over the All Blacks, Taukei'aho powered over from the back of the maul to re-establish some breathing space. Ardie Savea and the All Blacks pack take on Los Pumas. Photo / Photosport Missing influential halfback Cam Roigard and with starting forwards Wallace Sititi and Tamaiti Williams set to return from their injury layoffs for the rematch in Buenos Aires next week, the All Blacks will regain firepower and, therefore, should improve. While the composure to finish the job was evident, the spotlight will shine on their impact from the bench and their second-half performance that compromised their previous dominance and undermined the potential to make an early Rugby Championship statement. All Blacks withstand Argentina Ben Smith, RugbyPass The All Blacks have withstood a fierce Argentinian comeback in the second half to come away with a 41-24 win at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba. The visitors went to their rolling maul regularly and profited with three tries directly from it, including two in the final quarter to Samisoni Taukei'aho, which lifted the All Blacks after a strong fightback. Having led the home side 31-10 at halftime, a resurgent period by Los Pumas saw the gap close to 31-24 before the All Blacks got away. After the Wallabies secured a famous 38-22 win over the Springboks, the All Blacks move to top spot on the Rugby Championship ladder with a points differential of +17.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
'Killing ourselves': What we learned from the Warriors' desperate win over Dragons
Warriors celebrate Adam Pompey's game-winning try against the Dragons in Auckland, on Friday. Photo: Brett Phibbs/ Analysis - As they tried to pin their opponents on their goal-line in the dying moments, the New Zealand Warriors must have suffered flashbacks to a similar scenario two weeks ago. Back then, the Warriors held a two-point lead and only needed to contain the Dolphins, but let their opponents off the hook to score a soul-destroying last-gasp try for victory . While most have lamented the defensive breakdown in their redzone that allowed the decisive score, Warriors coach Andrew Webster pointed his finger at those shortcomings at the other end of the field. "We let them off their line twice to give them a shot at that and we didn't need to," he said. Fast forward a fortnight and the Warriors had St George-Illawarra Dragons exactly where they wanted them - four points down and deep in their own half with time running out. Dragons speedster Tyrell Sloan broke over halfway and alarm bells rang out, but he had to slow for support and the Warriors defenders scrambled as if their lives depended on it. As St George tried to send the ball to the right, winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck jumped out of the defensive line to force halfback Kyle Flanagan into error, the danger passed and the home side held on 14-10. "Two weeks ago, against the Dolphins, that moment went against us," Webster said. "Tonight it didn't." One win can make an amazing difference at the pointy end of a season . If they had suffered a fourth straight defeat, the Warriors would have teetered on the edge of post-season oblivion, but victory has propelled them back into the top four and a chance at a second playoff life. "I don't think you get out of a three-game losing streak by winning by 20-30 points," Webster reflected. "You're going to grind it and you're going to find a way, and it's not going to be perfect." Here's how they achieved it. Warriors co-captain James Fisher-Harris had a first half he'd probably rather forget. His blown play-the-ball allowed the Dragons out off their own half in the ninth minute, and his dangerous tackle seconds later gave them a penalty from which they opened the scoring. "We're killing ourselves, making it hard for ourselves all the time," Webster lamented, perhaps kicking his skipper under the media conference table. Fisher-Harris was by no means alone in that regard. Teen sensation Leka Halasima had two errors in little over a minute, halfback Tanah Boyd and front-rower Jackson Ford gave the Dragons repeat sets with ruck infringements, and centre Adam Pompey conceded a penalty in the build-up to their second try. Somewhat indirectly, though, Fisher-Harris was also responsible for a moment that may have set the Dragons on the course to defeat. In the 15th minute, Fisher-Harris charged over halfway and, in their combined attempts to stop him, St George team-mates Jack de Belin - celebrating his 250th NRL game - and Hamish Stewart clashed heads, and lay prone for several seconds. They were both guided to the sideline, where they both failed head injury assessments. Just as they were ruled out, they were joined by Hame Sele, who had actually replaced Stewart. Suddenly, St George were down three players and, while they were then allowed to activate Sloan as their designated concussion substitute, the winger/fullback was never likely to make up for the loss of three big forwards. As the game wore on, the Dragons noticeably wore out and even Sloan's fresh legs couldn't quite spark a revival, once they surrendered the lead. Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has taken his share of flak in recent weeks for defensive lapses, but he tore at the Dragons' defence all night. Maybe the pre-game Indigenous Round ceremony had the effect of firing him up, maybe it was his brief second-half exchange with serial protagonist Luciano Leilua. Second-time dad Taine Tuaupiki performed on very little sleep on Friday, after babywatch. Photo: Brett Phibbs / He ran 18 times for 171 metres and, after scoring two tries against the Dolphins, he may be coming into form at the tail end of an injury-riddled campaign. One of his charges resulted in Sele's early exit. After a quiet game against Canterbury Bulldogs, Tuivasa-Sheck was back over 265 metres running and had a freakish assist on Chanel Harris-Tavita's try, as he was pushed into touch in the corner, but somehow got the pass back infield. "Roger's in great form and he's getting involved a lot," Webster said. "He's giving us plenty of energy and coming up with big plays when we need them." Fullback Taine Tuaupiki asked plenty of questions and had assists on both Pompey's tries - the second came when he ran shortside from dummy half and found his centre with little room to operate. Webster revealed an exhausted Tuaupiki was almost scratched, after a late night witnessing the birth of his second child - a son - overnight. "He won't get any sleep again, but he gets to go home and enjoy it with a smile on his face," Webster said. "I'm just really grateful to his wife for letting him leave. "Often it's the hero story of the man leaves and plays the game, but it's the boys' partners/wives/girlfriends that allow them to go and give themselves to the team - it's pretty special." Among the forwards, Ford led the tackle count with 53 and 157 running metres, while lock Erin Clark had 39 and 132 in another consistent display. Normally, scoring a try double would have Pompey at the forefront of leading performers, but he probably owed his team as much, after allowing counterpart Mat Feagai a double of his own in the first half. Hastings-born Feagai had the Warriors in fits early on and perhaps should have had a third try, but lost control of the ball, after breaking from his own half. Only despairing cover defence from Tuaupiki saved his team. Feagai slipped inside Pompey and through Tuaupiki for his first try and then outside Pompey for his second, so it was fitting those two Warriors should combine late in the game to pull the deficit back. Front-rower Jackson Ford led the Warriors tackling effort on Friday. Photo: Brett Phibbs/ Incredibly, given their recent form, this win puts them back into the top four, leapfrogging four-time defending champions Penrith Panthers, who had a nine-game winning streak snapped by Melbourne Storm in controversial circumstances on Thursday. Penrith actually have a tough run home over the next three weeks, with tabletoppers Canberra Raiders next week and third-placed Bulldogs the following week, before finishing off against giantkillers St George. A clean run to the finish could see the Warriors home, but they are still only six points clear of the ninth-placed Dolphins, who face Brisbane Broncos (sixth) on Saturday. Sydney Roosters kept their hopes alive by toppling the Bulldogs on Friday night, so by the end of the weekend, the Warriors may still be just four points away, with three games left, from missing the playoffs. Without this win, that predicament could have been far worse. Normally, the bottom team on the table at this stage of the season would look decidedly tasty - but not if they are Gold Coast Titans and not if you're the Warriors. The last three times these teams have met, Titans were cellar-dwellers, but still won. Gold Coast have been the Warriors' bogey team in recent times, especially across the ditch, where they inflicted a 60-point embarrassment this time last year. The Warriors seem to have escaped against the Dragons without obvious injury, and should have second-rower Kurt Capewell and utility Te Maire Martin (both concussion) back next week. Centre Rocco Berry (shoulder) was also spotted in a non-contact vest at training recently, so maybe he's a chance too. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Woodford House sisters shine at Junior Roller Derby World Cup
The jammer tries to pass the opposing blockers, scoring points for each opponent passed, while blockers work to impede the opposing jammer while assisting their own. Both Mitchell sisters are jammers. The Roller Derby Junior World Cup is a biennial event. This year's competition was Kayla's second, after competing in France in 2023, and Phoebe's first. The New Zealand team's first match was against Denmark. Kiwi tenacity on the track proved too much for the Danes, who went down 28 to 149. Next up was Mexico, where the Kiwis skated away with another win, 84 points to 49. But then came the big dog of roller derby, the United States, who took the Kiwi girls to task, 167 to 62. The team would go on to lose to Sweden 124 to 86 before bouncing back against Australia, winning 113 to 96, before another heavy loss to the US, the eventual tournament champions, 426 to 97. Thanks to their three wins, the Kiwis managed to sneak into the bronze medal final where they would meet Australia. 'The whole game, they were like slightly ahead, but we were definitely really close, just trailing behind them, and then it just came down to that last jam,' Phoebe said. A jam in roller derby is a period of gameplay that lasts up to two minutes where the teams compete to score points. 'There's a lot of rules, so it's kind of hard to explain,' laughed Phoebe. Unfortunately, the New Zealand team just missed out on the bronze medal, going down 211 to 213. Phoebe "Phearless" Mitchell (L) and sister Kayla ' Mitchell at Woodford House. Photo / Jack Riddell 'But it was such a good game,' said Kayla. 'We were all bawling our eyes at the end. 'It wasn't even just because we lost, it was because we were so exhausted and we worked so hard.' Both sisters said they were extremely proud of their team for the results and opportunities they had while skating in Australia. Up next, Kayla is looking forward to finishing high school and heading to university to study sports psychology or communication, and is looking at becoming a coach on the junior world cup team. Phoebe is eyeing up a return to the junior world cup team in two years, and is looking forward to potentially studying optometry after leaving high school. Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke's Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin, and Napier.
