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RNZ News
a day ago
- General
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific live updates: Highlanders v Chiefs
Shaun Stevenson and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens. Graphic: Liam Swiggs RNZ Photo: PHOTOSPORT The Chiefs are looking to lock in top spot going into the Super Rugby Pacific play-offs, while the Highlanders are trying to avoid coming last after a frustrating season. Kick-off is at 7:05pm NZT. Follow all the action with RNZ's live blog: Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Jack Taylor, 3. Saula Ma'u, 4. Fabian Holland, 5. Tai Cribb, 6. TK Howden, 7. Veveni Lasaqa, 8. Sean Withy, 9. Folau Fakatava, 10. Cam Millar, 11. Taniela Filimone, 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13. Tanielu Tele'a, 14. Jonah Lowe, 15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens Bench: 16. Soane Vikena, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Sosefo Kautai, 19. Will Stodart, 20. Michael Loft, 21. Adam Lennox, 22. Sam Gilbert, 23. Thomas Umaga-Jensen Chiefs: 1. Jared Proffit, 2. Bradley Slater, 3. Reuben O'Neill, 4. Josh Lord, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Luke Jacobson (c), 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Xavier Roe, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Leroy Carter, 15. Shaun Stevenson Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. George Dyer, 19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20. Simon Parker, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Josh Jacomb, 23. Manasa Mataele
RNZ News
2 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Highlanders v Chiefs: what you need to know
Highlanders v Chiefs Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday 30 May Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Live blog updates on RNZ Sport It's top v bottom in the last regular season round for this year, but there's still plenty to play for here. The Chiefs are looking to lock in first spot on the table with a bonus point win, while the Highlanders can avoid last place with an upset in front of their home crowd. The Chiefs are coming off the biggest win of the season after they thumped Moana Pasifika 85-7, while the Highlanders have had two heartbreaking losses in the last fortnight. Both results, against the Hurricanes and Crusaders, came down to the last play and the Highlanders were on the wrong side of both. Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Jack Taylor, 3. Saula Ma'u, 4. Fabian Holland, 5. Tai Cribb, 6. TK Howden, 7. Veveni Lasaqa, 8. Sean Withy, 9. Folau Fakatava, 10. Cam Millar, 11. Taniela Filimone, 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13. Tanielu Tele'a, 14. Jonah Lowe, 15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens Bench: 16. Soane Vikena, 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18. Sosefo Kautai, 19. Will Stodart, 20. Michael Loft, 21. Adam Lennox, 22. Sam Gilbert, 23. Thomas Umaga-Jensen Chiefs: 1. Jared Proffit, 2. Bradley Slater, 3. Reuben O'Neill, 4. Josh Lord, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Luke Jacobson (c), 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Xavier Roe, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Leroy Carter, 15. Shaun Stevenson Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. George Dyer, 19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20. Simon Parker, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Josh Jacomb, 23. Manasa Mataele Cam Millar was brilliant with the boot. Photo: Cam Millar comes back in at first five with Taine Robinson injured, also Tai Cribb comes into the second row for his first start. Other than that it's a settled side that Jamie Joseph has named, with a lot of ball set to end up in the hands of Timoci Tavatavanawai and Tanielu Tele'a. Samipeni Finau on the charge. Photo: Photosport A couple of changes have been made, with Xavier Roe starting at halfback and Cortez Ratima moving back to the bench. Samipeni Finau starts ahead of Simon Parker, while Josh Lord comes back in at lock and Naitoa Ah Kuoi gets a break on the bench too. Timoci Tavatavanawai during the Highlanders v Hurricanes, Super Rugby Pacific match, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin. Photo: Michael Thomas/ActionPress The Chiefs have lost three of their last five Super Rugby Pacific matches after scoring 50+ points in the game prior, including a 17-35 loss against the Hurricanes the last time that happened. The Highlanders have lost their last five Super Rugby Pacific matches, though each of their last three defeats by come by margins no greater than five points. The last time they recorded a longer losing run in a single season was an eight-match span in 2013. Timoci Tavatavanawai (64) and Damian McKenzie (49) have beaten more defenders than any other players in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season. Tavatavanawai's 161 carries are the most of any back in the campaign and the third most of any player overall. "They only get access to the ball if we're sloppy on the carry and clean. We've drawn a line in the sand about how we want to operate in that space, the challenge is to keep getting there." Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan. "I haven't lost confidence in the team. I feel sorry for our team because they work hellishly hard. But that's footy. There's kind of no fairy tales in sport. The lessons that we're learning and how to close games and how to execute under pressure are costing us." - Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph. Chiefs 46 - 10 Highlanders This was actually looking pretty good for the Highlanders as they were only down 13-10 at halftime, however the Chiefs came roaring out of the sheds to score five second half tries. Leroy Carter really underlined his name as a contender for the All Blacks, while the Chiefs forwards really put the foot down when it counted. Despite the Highlanders' bad luck in their last few games, there's a reason why they're last and the Chiefs are first. They will be doing well to avoid a repeat of the last meeting, and it'll take some big games from their key players to make that happen. Given it's the last time for a while they'll play, there's no reason not to.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
'Don't do it': Former All Black warns against taking part in Run It as schools act to ban viral trend
RUNIT Auckland. Trusts Stadium. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport A former All Black has answered the call of a bereaved family and spoken out about the dangers of Run It -style games. Saveatama Eroni Clarke, the Pasifika Engagement Manager for NZ Rugby, says his advice for anyone considering taking part is simple: "Don't do it". His words come after the death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite in Palmerston North this week. He suffered a head injury when playing a Run It-style game with friends and his uncle Pete has called on social media influences and sports stars to [ speak out about the dangers] of such games. Clarke told Checkpoint today it would be hard to ban the game, but he encouraged people to stay away and, if they wanted to take part in a contact sport, join a rugby team and receive proper coaching. That message was echoed by NZ Rugby in a statement. "There's too much risk involved doing these. We've seen now the extreme of it and the high risk that it brings - head trauma," Clarke said. Top-level players were told not to back Run It events due to the dangers and risks associated with them. "That's been the message to the players - you can't be seen to support something like this." Former All Black Steve Devine , who has suffered from the after-effects on concussion, also didn't mince his words. "It's a recipe for disaster having two large forces meet and the sudden impact or sudden stoppage for either person generally doesn't bode very well for the brain." However, after training today New Zealand Warriors James Fisher-Harris and Adam Pompey, and coach Andrew Webster, weren't keen to discuss the issue, saying they weren't aware of it. Ryan Satterthwait's former school, Palmerston North Boys' High School, had already planned to discuss the issue at its assembly on Monday before it heard what happened to him. And other schools were also confronting the social media-fed fad. Gisborne Boys' High School told its 820 students that Run It games were banned on Monday, just hours before Satterthwaite's life support was turned off, said headmaster Tom Cairns. "We had an incident last week where we had a game of Run It Straight started up and staff on duty on the back fields saw it and stopped it pretty promptly. "It's something that's obviously captured the attention of the New Zealand public and our boys are no different," he said. "We're not going to have boys taking part in something like that. The way we discussed it was, it's basically violence. "There's no real sporting aspect to it. I don't see anyone going to Run It Straight practice after school. It's really just people lining up and assaulting each other." If it's played at school it would be regarded as fighting, he said. Ryan Satterthwaite. Photo: Instagram The school worked closely with the Mātai Medical Research Institute and Cairns planned to ask one of its experts to speak to the boys and show the effect of traumatic brain impacts. In Auckland, Rowandale Primary school principal Karl Vassau said its board of trustees would meet tonight to discuss how it could respond. "With that type of activity it seems like something that lots of our children will find pretty cool and interesting to watch. "What we are wanting to make sure is that our children know that it is unsafe and if they were to start playing this type of game at school that is definitely not acceptable." The Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board had banned run it straight events from parks in its area and board chairman Tauanu'u Nick Bakulich said it was asking schools to act too. "We see no value of these events so we are very concerned, given what we know in regards concussion and head injuries. "We, as a board, will be writing to our local principal associations for schools to be vigilant and ensure they shut down any similar-type activities that are held on their school grounds." Sport NZ board member Fauono Ken Laban says Run It Straight is not a sport. He said it was a hyped up social media creation of uncontrolled violence with no rules and no laws. The tragic death of Satterthwaite at the weekend was a stark reminder it should be banned from public parks, he said. Satterthwaite's death was a complete waste of life in an event that is a waste of time. The former police officer, league player and coach said he didn't know what Sport NZ could do because they don't regard it as a sport. He said Run It was an immature attempt of fake toughness.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Former All Black warning people off RUNIT game
A Former All Black is warning people off the Run It Straight game, where competitors smash into each other at full speed, after a teenager died playing a version of the social media driven trend at the weekend. 19 year old Ryan Satterthwaite died in Palmerston North hosptial after suffering a catastrophic head injury. Meanwhile at an official Run-It Championship League in Auckland at the weekend two competitors were knocked unconcious. Former All Black Saveatama Eroni Clarke, the Pasifika Engagement Manager for NZ Rugby spoke to Lisa Owen.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific: Five takeaways from Moana Pasifika's loss to Chiefs
Wallace Sititi of the Chiefs. Photo: Jeremy Ward/Photosport There was one thing both Fa'alogo Tana Umaga and Ardie Savea agreed on about the Chiefs on Saturday night. Following the 85-7 thrashing at FMG Stadium in Hamilton in front of 17,666 fans, the Moana Pasifika head boys both stated that they, Moana Pasifika, still need to grow. To grow from what they are to a championship side that the Chiefs showed they are. Both agreed their host were ruthless, precise and too clinical across the field, and denied Moana Pasifika any real chance to get any momentum going. In the end, the two conceded their players were hurting and the team will need to figure out what went wrong and return better prepared for their last competition game against the Hurricanes in the new week. So what went wrong? Umaga said they just didn't get the chance to fire their own shots against the Chiefs. Well, they did get a few - one resulted in a try by Savea after the second half started. Two or three others, slim chances, were lost in the procession of trying to organise themselves, either through turnovers or knock-ons. Oh, yes there were two yellow cards that went against them - which proved critical because in the process of being down one man at each part of the game when Patrick Pellegrini then Samuel Slade got sent off to cool off for 10 minutes on the sideline, the Chiefs raked up around 20 points. Many may ask, did the hard fought win over the Blues the weekend before took its toll on the players? Were the players mentally tuned on for the Chiefs game? That is something Umaga and his coaching and leadership team will need to review, moving forward. And in the process, also take note of the five learning from the weekend. In rugby, having the possession, the ball, in hand is a prerequisite of having the chance to chance to make play and something happen. The Chiefs knew that and their focus, as their head coach Clayton McMillan said, was to deny Moana Pasifika any chance of getting into a roll. Moana Pasifika had about 20 percent of possession, the Chiefs enjoyed around 80 percent, the result in the end telling the story. Knowing that Moana Pasifika had a mobile pack that could do damage if they started rolling and had the momentum they needed, Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson rallied his own pack to win the collisions, secure the set-pieces and defended like demon possessed. Jacobson said that was the message they were given. Umaga conceded the Chiefs were just ruthless and clinical across the field. It proved to be the difference in the end. Savea conceded his side just could not respond to the pressure they were under. He said they tried everything they could think off but the Chiefs were just too good. It is an area Savea pointed to as a key issue they would need to work on in the new week as they prepare for their must win game against the Hurricanes, if they are to secure a top six finish. If there is something Moana Pasifika will focus on this coming week, it is turning the lessons they have learned into positives. Savea said the players were down in spirit but he urged them to stay focused on the next job and turn those negatives into positives. It will be a tough challenge, especially coming off a big loss and heading to Sky Stadium to meet the Hurricanes. But Umaga believes his men can do that and lift their performance one more time. The Chiefs, according to Umaga, have shown that they are on a different level at the moment, heading into the play-offs. They have raised the par one more time and showed, not only Moana Pasifika, that they are a serious challenger for the top title. Moana Pasifika will need to lift themselves to that standard. A new week of preparation. One more game to go. Making sure the lessons are learned and put into practise will be a key to improve performance in last and final round of the regular competition games.
