Latest news with #NZR
NZ Herald
39 minutes ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
New Zealand Rugby board visits Heartland unions in Gisborne and Ruatōria
New Zealand Rugby board members enjoyed glorious weather for their visit to Gisborne and trip to Ruatōria for the Ngāti Porou East Coast-Poverty Bay derby. Pictured are (from left) Marise James, Doug Jones (of Gisborne), Julia Raue, 132-test All Black Keven Mealamu, Catherine Savage, Caren Rangi, Grant Jarrold, 1987 Rugby World Cup-winning skipper and board chair David Kirk, Gisborne-born, eight-test All Black Matthew Cooper and New Zealand Rugby president Greg Barclay (of Gisborne). Photo / Paul Rickard The new board of New Zealand Rugby may be dominated by metropolitan residents and a Sydney-based chairman, but the board members valued the opportunity to experience the culture of Heartland rugby in Poverty Bay and East Coast over King's birthday weekend. A large New Zealand Rugby (NZR) entourage
Scoop
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Blues Captain Tuipulotu Signs For Three More Years
Press Release – Blues After taking on the full-time captaincy in 2020, Tuipulotu has helped shape the culture of the club, culminating in the historic 2024 Super Rugby Pacific title. Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu has re-signed with the club, and New Zealand Rugby (NZR), until the end of the 2028 DHL Super Rugby Pacific season. One of the most respected figures in New Zealand rugby, Tuipulotu's recommitment is a major moment for the club. A talismanic leader and cornerstone of the Blues forward pack, Tuipulotu's presence will remain central to the team's ambitions. Tuipulotu, who made his debut for the Blues in 2014, has since amassed over 100 caps for the club and established himself as one of the most dominant locks in Super Rugby. 'This club is home. I care deeply about the people, the jersey, and what it represents,' Tuipulotu said. 'I'm proud of what we've achieved, but I believe there's still more to come. I'm excited about the future and honoured to lead this team into the next chapter.' Standing at 1.98m, his imposing physicality and relentless work rate have long made him a key figure in both the Blues and All Blacks environments. After taking on the full-time captaincy in 2020, Tuipulotu has helped shape the culture of the club, culminating in the historic 2024 Super Rugby Pacific title. Despite suffering a serious injury late in the season, Tuipulotu returned in time to lead the team to victory in the Grand Final, a performance that epitomised his grit and character. Now aged 32, Tuipulotu's journey began at St Peter's College in Auckland before rising through the New Zealand Schools and Under 20s programmes. He made his All Blacks debut in 2014. Off the field, Tuipulotu has also been instrumental within the community as founder of the Blues Charitable Trust (BCT), a youth development charity on a mission to help rangatahi (young people) make informed choices and build brighter, more successful futures. Blues CEO Andrew Hore said Tuipulotu's re-signing represents much more than a just a contract extension. 'Patrick is the heartbeat of this team. He leads with integrity, plays with passion, and gives everything for the jersey,' he said. 'His decision to stay is a powerful endorsement of what we've built here at the Blues, and we couldn't be more thrilled to have him with us through 2028.' NZR General Manager Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum said it was exciting to have Tuipulotu re-sign. 'Pat's resilience, dedication and consistency have been hallmarks of his career for the past decade, and he has grown into an influential leader in our game on and off the field. Committing to a further three years is testament to the passion and commitment Pat has for the teams and communities he represents, and his loyalty to New Zealand.' All Blacks Assistant Coach Jason Ryan added to the endorsement. 'Patty brings a wealth of experience and a calm, commanding presence that lifts the standard of everyone around him. His leadership on and off the field is immense and having a player of his calibre commit to New Zealand Rugby through to 2028 is fantastic news.' The Blues will begin preparations for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season later this year, with Tuipulotu once again set to lead from the front.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Rugby: Milton Haig steps down after just a month as NZ Under-20 coach
Milton Haig when he was coach of the Counties-Manukau NPC team. Photo: Photosport New Zealand Under-20 head coach Milton Haig has stepped down just a month into the role, citing a difference in approach to the rest of his coaching staff. Haig recently led the side to the Under-20 Rugby Championship title in South Africa, but said his decision was based on what he believed was best for the team. "I do not feel I'm fully aligned with the coaching group around things like playing style, so have made the difficult decision to step aside to give the team its best chance of reaching its full potential," he said. Haig has a lengthy coaching pedigree having previously coached Counties Manukau in the NPC, the national Georgia team, Southland, Bay of Plenty and Suntory Sungoliatah in Japan. Haig headed a four strong coaching group of Jarrad Hoeata, Alex Robertson and Craig Dunlea who were all appointed by New Zealand Rugby. "Milton's a quality coach and person has done a great job laying the foundations for the team over the past two months. His record over time is evidence of his coaching ability and it was great to see the team perform so well in South Africa," NZR high performance player development manager Matt Sexton said. "We respect his decision to step away and admire his courage in putting the team before himself." Haig said winning in South Africa was a highlight for the team and himself. "Helping the players succeed was my primary motivation for taking the role and I believe they have the skills and drive to be successful at the World Championships in Italy," he said. Haig said he would continue in his role as a World Rugby high-performance consultant.
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Local charity urging Auckland officials to stop controversial Runit Championship League
Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson says the venues staging the events are managed independently and do not require an event permit from the council to hold the events, meaning they don't have the ability to decline them. Simpson says she is aware of concerns, and hopes participants consider the risks before taking part. Mowbray says its outrageous events like this are able to take place. 'We'd love to see Auckland Council step in - anyone who issued the permit – to realise this is unacceptable,' Mowbray told the Herald. 'Not just for participants, but for all the young people watching. We'd love to see someone with the power step in and shut it down. 'We're also calling on role models within rugby and rugby league to say this is not how you prove how tough you are. 'Go out and play a sport that has referees and clear concussion guidelines. Prove how tough you are on that field – not in this ridiculous, dangerous spectacle. 'It's outrageous that people are choosing to collide at full speed into each other. There's absolutely no way to mitigate that risk.' Professor Patria Hume, a sports scientist and injury prevention expert at Auckland University of Technology, is also hitting out at the concept, saying it's 'a step backwards' in athlete safety. Hume is calling on event organisers, sponsors and public health authorities to reconsider the promotion of similar events. 'The deliberate design of this event to maximise impact is not only irresponsible –it's scientifically indefensible,' said Hume. 'We've spent years building evidence-based strategies to reduce head and neck injuries in rugby and contact sports. This event ignores all of that.' The concept is being touted as the world's fiercest new combat sport that attempts to mirror the physical collisions seen in rugby league, union and AFL matches weekly, with an emphasis on social media clicks, amassing over 50 million views in the last four weeks. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has previously attempted to distance itself from the concept. 'NZR does not have any association with the international Runit events or similar amateur events, which we believe carry significant risk of serious injury,' NZ Rugby told the Herald last month. Mowbray believes the large prize pool is targeting vulnerable people, which is setting a dangerous precedent. 'They know people will find it really difficult to say no to potential prizemoney. It's really upsetting to see these groups targeted,' said Mowbray. 'Yes, you could win and take away some money, but the evidence and science around the potential risks are just so huge. 'It's terrifying that people will put their lives at risk for this money.' Former NRL and English international George Burgess has been promoting the event in Australia and even took part in an exhibition, running full speed at Super Rugby powerhouse and Fijian international Nemani Nadolo. 'People want to see competition and this is definitely the purest form of that – two guys up against each other and one's going to come off the best," Burgess told the Herald. Burgess said there is risk 'in the UFC, rugby league, union, any sport. We're not different here, but we will be going to the best measures to make sure the players are protected and prepared'. 'We're not getting anyone in off the street, we're vetting the athletes ... they're athletes that know what they're doing, they know how to hit and how to protect themselves.' The Herald understands at least two of the eight competitors in the first Melbourne final were knocked unconscious. Last month, the Herald revealed a man was knocked unconscious and suffered an apparent seizure during a similar event not associated with Runit in Australia as hundreds of children looked on.
Scoop
19-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Rugby In Recovery
NZ Rugby's boss Mark Robinson is one of those 'up' people, something that shines through in spite of all the 'down' news surrounding the sport. Something has shifted in New Zealand, where rugby was once woven into our national identity, where kids grew up dreaming of the black jersey, and entire towns paused on test night. It seemed muddy boots and grassroots games were stitched into the fabric of who we were. But today our national game is hurting. Super Rugby crowds are thinning. Young talent is walking away. And the financial strain on provincial unions is deepening. And now New Zealand Rugby has just reported a loss of $19.5 million for the 2024 financial year - the third consecutive year in the red, with an $8.9m loss in 2023 and a $47m loss in 2022. These are sobering figures and have sparked urgent questions about the future of the sport we once considered untouchable. But chief executive Mark Robinson says he is confident about where the game is heading. "Our business is really complex and multi-layered, but I remain hugely optimistic about what the near-term and long-term future is," he says. "We know we are getting a lot of things right... and when it comes to the financial loss, I think it's important to have a bit of context. When we look at what we have done over the past few years, we have made a lot of investment choices for growth." While he acknowledged the financial strain is real and challenging, he remained committed to turning it around. "We believe the long-term future is heartening." He highlighted growth in matchday revenue and sponsorship - Toyota has just been announced as a replacement sponsor for British petrochemical firm INEOS. "Toyota is one of the biggest brands in the world... and is just an incredible partner. Every rugby club you go to in New Zealand has a Toyota connection. It's a great fit." He teased more sponsorship deals to be revealed in the near future but would not - or could not - be drawn on TV and digital deals, and where NZR negotiations are at with Sky. "Conversations are really constructive. You will appreciate I can't share an awful lot of where we are at, but we are really heartened with the progress we are making at the moment." He is equally happy with how Super Rugby Pacific is tracking this year, saying games are flowing fast, competition is tight, upsets are occurring, and players and coaches are engaging more openly. "Overall, we are very happy," he tells The Detail, predicting a New Zealand team will win the competition. He did acknowledge stadium numbers are not as good as they could be, and work is being done about the "in-stadium experience", focusing on food, drink, and entertainment. When asked about his relationship with Eden Park, after NZR backed the waterfront stadium and opted to host All Blacks games overseas, Robinson replied: "We have a long-held respect for them... I think we are all grown-ups around things like this." Other topics covered by The Detail today include - * All Black sabbaticals - "We are creating long-term loyalty and recognising long-term loyalty as well." * Flexibility on the rules after star Richie Mo'unga signed a three year deal to play in Japan - "If you want to wear that black jersey, you have got to be here." * The state of women's rugby - "We are definitely taking a long-term approach... but we have record numbers of women and girls involved in the game. And already, the World Cup in England is the most ticketed women's World Cup event ever, so that's great news." * Getting kids back into the game - "We have had really heartening statistics around the growth of grassroots rugby in the last couple of years, we are back at around pre-Covid level, after losing tens of thousands of players." * And public scrutiny as NZR boss - "Early on in the role, you are a bit more sensitive to some of the things that are said and done... but you have to be open and honest when mistakes are made and resilient enough when things are said or done that are unfair and unreasonable. But you have to stay high." Ultimately, he believes rugby is alive and thriving. And he remains focused on the job. "There is a lot of scrutiny of the game, a lot of care and passion, but I thank people for that; it means a lot to us. You ask if I am okay, well, the day that people don't care or don't have a view on it, I will be more worried then, that's the day to be concerned about." Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.
