Latest news with #NewZealand-born
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Could a 40-year-old Quade Cooper take on the NFL's biggest stars? He thinks so
Quade Cooper was meant to go to the Olympics as part of the Australian rugby sevens team at Rio in 2016, only to be deemed ineligible because he didn't have an Australian passport – despite having played more than 50 games for the Wallabies. Nearly 10 years on, the New Zealand-born Cooper is eyeing an opportunity to get to the Games at last – this time as the quarterback for the Australian flag football team, where he could line up across from the likes of Justin Jefferson or Brock Purdy after the NFL gave the green light for its players to try out for the US team. Cooper, who is currently playing rugby in Japan – and has since acquired an Australian passport – is the Australian quarterback in flag football, the five-a-side American football variant which will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. The two-time World Cup medallist will be 40 by then, but he doesn't see age as a barrier to finally getting that Olympic debut. 'Where I'm at right now, I could play rugby for another two or three years quite easily if I wanted to. That's because I look after myself very well physically. But the sports are so different,' Cooper said. 'Rugby is a physically demanding sport where you're taking hits, and you're taking a lot of collisions and hits not just in a game but daily at training. The sport that we're talking about here is a sport that has zero collisions ... it's a lot different when you're trying to dodge and get out of the way of someone trying to take your head off as opposed to someone trying to come in and rip a tag off.' As an NFL fan, Cooper would relish in the opportunity to face off against some of its biggest stars. 'I'm obviously a fan of NFL, but stepping on the field, you're going out there to compete, and you want to compete against the best guys,' he said.
The Age
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
Could a 40-year-old Quade Cooper take on the NFL's biggest stars? He thinks so
Quade Cooper was meant to go to the Olympics as part of the Australian rugby sevens team at Rio in 2016, only to be deemed ineligible because he didn't have an Australian passport – despite having played more than 50 games for the Wallabies. Nearly 10 years on, the New Zealand-born Cooper is eyeing an opportunity to get to the Games at last – this time as the quarterback for the Australian flag football team, where he could line up across from the likes of Justin Jefferson or Brock Purdy after the NFL gave the green light for its players to try out for the US team. Cooper, who is currently playing rugby in Japan – and has since acquired an Australian passport – is the Australian quarterback in flag football, the five-a-side American football variant which will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. The two-time World Cup medallist will be 40 by then, but he doesn't see age as a barrier to finally getting that Olympic debut. 'Where I'm at right now, I could play rugby for another two or three years quite easily if I wanted to. That's because I look after myself very well physically. But the sports are so different,' Cooper said. 'Rugby is a physically demanding sport where you're taking hits, and you're taking a lot of collisions and hits not just in a game but daily at training. The sport that we're talking about here is a sport that has zero collisions ... it's a lot different when you're trying to dodge and get out of the way of someone trying to take your head off as opposed to someone trying to come in and rip a tag off.' As an NFL fan, Cooper would relish in the opportunity to face off against some of its biggest stars. 'I'm obviously a fan of NFL, but stepping on the field, you're going out there to compete, and you want to compete against the best guys,' he said.
Elle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Anna Sawai Names Zendaya as Her Ultimate Red Carpet Inspiration
Anna Sawai is a historymaker. The New Zealand-born and Japan-raised actress and singer recently became the first Japanese actress to win a Primetime Emmy when she received the Outstanding Lead Actress nod for her work in She's also a Cartier ambassador and, with stylist to the stars Karla Welch at her side, a minimalist red carpet maven. The 32-year-old turns out sleek and elevated ensembles whenever the situation calls for it, and her elegant takes on looks from Armani, Louis Vuitton and Dior have us paying attention. Candice Lake What's more, Sawai has also proved herself gracious in the face of social media adversity. Earlier this month, the internet was alight with discussion of her and Zendaya's gorgeous, but ultimately quite similar, With a busy summer ahead of her (she's set to film A24's next hit Enemies opposite internet boyfriends Austin Butler and Jeremy Allen White), we sat down with the laid-back star as she got ready for Cartier's En Équilibre launch in Stockholm. Candice Lake Can you talk me through what you're wearing this evening and what you're hoping to channel? I'm wearing a very feminine dress by Giambattista Valli. I'm really excited to wear this, because I heard that Valli himself is going to be there at the event. The dress is black so you can really see the jewelry shine. I'm wearing diamonds with rubellites inspired by bows. Bows are obviously weapons, signifying strength, but also feel very feminine—I love the balance. My hair and makeup is very simple which helps me feel like I'm still very much myself and it's all about the jewelry. I always like to channel elegance and finding the balance between femininity and strength. Anna Sawai by Candice Lake What is it like working with Karla Welch for your red carpet looks and how do you marry your off-duty personal style? Karla just really understands me. She has so many different clients and she dresses everyone very differently. I tend to wear things that are very simple in my day-to-day life. Like, right now, I'm just wearing a plain white tee with Cartier jewels. I wear Cartier jewelry every day—it makes me feel elevated and that I don't have to try hard with my outfits. Karla understands that I feel comfortable wearing things that are a little bit less loud. There was a time when I was about to wear something that felt like it wasn't really fitting the event. Karla told me, 'whatever you feel comfortable with,' and we did find something that felt a little bit more fitting, and I felt good about it. So there's never been a time when I stepped onto the carpet or event and just felt out of place. I've been I feel very lucky to say that. Karla is very supportive with choosing things that I feel good in. Candice Lake What are your off-duty wardrobe staples? I always travel with a white T-shirt. Karla actually gifted one to me and I loved it so much I bought a couple more. It's the Jackie Crewneck Tee from Michael Starr. It's 100 percent cotton and cropped. With plain T-shirts, I buy like two or three, because I know that I'm going to spill something. Wherever you are, whatever occasion it is, a white T-shirt, it's just something that you can always rely on. I like clean looks. [As for] the jewels, I wear the Candice Lake Who are your personal style and red carpet heroes? It's going to be funny talking about this now, because I think everyone's aware of what happened, but I love Zendaya's style so much. I think she's so stylish, so fun on [red] carpets. She always has this amazing theme—if she's promoting a movie, then she's wearing something that's related to that movie. I think she's so cool, but then in her day-to-day life, I feel like she was she's also just a simple gal, and I really just look up to her. I read that People like to make up stories like that because it's a little bit more interesting than people who are getting along. Candice Lake The thing is, she didn't even have to send me flowers, but she did because she just is that kind of person where she's trying to spread kindness, and I thought it was really cool. I wrote her a letter and sent her something back because I want to be like that. I recently saw a video of Zendaya [discussing] when she first met Rihanna, and she was talking about how Rihanna didn't have to be so sweet, but she was, and she was very inspired by her. [Now] she's doing the same to people like me, and so I just want to make sure that I'm doing the same. It's about supporting each other and uplifting one another. Related Stories From:
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
ConnectGlobal: Christian pastor from Andrew O'Keefe rehab arrested
Local police were concerned about the number of bail breaches at the facility. The council had also refused to grant it permission to operate as a group home, although the Land and Environment Court partly overturned the council's decision. Andrew O'Keefe meeting Pastor Ross Pene as he checks into rehab at Connect Global. In early January, an alleged drug importer Hussein Chamas allegedly fled the centre. He was arrested soon after by Australian Federal Police on a $200,000 yacht off the Northern Territory, on his way to freedom in Indonesia. Loading The rehab shared the site with private cabins, often rented to single parents desperate for accommodation amid the region's housing shortage. Between 2017 and 2020, some of the cabins were also used as emergency accommodation for children in state care. Connect Global's board decided in late January to begin winding up the charity in the wake of the Herald's exposé, which prompted an urgent and yet-to-be finalised review by the NSW attorney-general. The charity is in administration and its charity status has also been revoked. Pene, 68, a Harley-riding New Zealand-born pastor, established Connect Global in 2013. He has worked with addicts around Newcastle for decades; the Connect Global website described him as a visionary. Pene had also performed weddings, funerals, christenings and 'spiritual stuff' for bikies and has entertained the Finks and Bandidos for afternoon tea, he told a court last year. The former Fisherman's Village tourist resort in Port Stephens was used as a rehab centre by Connect Global. Connect Global, a registered charity, purported to be heavily Christian; the intake agreement said all church-related activities, particularly the Sunday service, were mandatory. For years, judges have allowed defendants to be sent there despite council's refusal to grant permission, often on the strength of Pene's testimony in court; one described being 'extremely impressed' by the program and the pastor's 'obvious commitment to it'. Loading Pene was arrested at the Swan Bay site, where he was still living, on Wednesday, and taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station. He was charged with five counts of 'do act etc intending' to pervert the course of justice relating to five patients. He pleaded not guilty in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday afternoon, where he was granted bail. Start the day with a summary of the day's most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Zendaya's engagement ring designer opens up about her inspiration
Zendaya kept it casual when debuting her engagement ring at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this year, despite nearly breaking the internet over her 5.02-carat diamond. But it turns out, that was exactly the attitude that the jeweler behind the piece wanted. "My whole idea is of relaxed ease and fitting into your daily life,' the ring's designer, Jessica McCormack, told the New York Times in a recent interview. 'It's about functionality and fantasy, making jewels that are fun and cool but wearable and that just make you incredibly happy every time you look in the mirror.' McCormack's designs have become a go-to for those with similar sensibilities, who are looking to show off their diamonds on a more day-to-day basis. In addition to creating the cushion cut diamond for the Oakland native, her other celebrity clients include Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Zoë Kravitz, Margot Robbie and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. 'There's no joy if you can't see them and others can't enjoy them on you,' McCormack told the Times. Though she had no formal design training, the New Zealand-born artist has a long history of working with fine jewels and vintage pieces. She said she learned from her father, an art and antiques dealer, and found her work in Sotheby's fine jewelry department in London to be a strong foundation for her career. The designer launched her brand in 2008, drawing inspiration from the antique pieces she had come to know and love. Since 2013, she has been operating out of a storefront and workshop in London, where Zendaya and her fiancé, British actor Tom Holland, purchased a home in 2022. McCormack opened her first U.S. store in New York City on Tuesday, May 27. Holland and Zendaya met on the set of 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' in 2017, and went public with their relationship in 2021. Neither has spoken about their engagement since Zendaya debuted the ring in January, though Holland's father confirmed it on his Patreon account. Zendaya has continued to drop subtle nods to her relationship with her 'Spider-Man' co-star, from showing off her tiny 't' tattoo in honor of him during a recent Louis Vuitton photoshoot to channeling her inner bride with a Bianca Jagger-inspired Met Gala outfit. But the 'Euphoria' actor's stylist, Law Roach, confirmed that the wedding is still 'far away' due to the couple's busy schedules. Both actors are set to star in Christopher Nolan's mythic action film, 'The Odyssey,' set for release July 17, 2026. They're also slated to return to the Spiderverse in Marvel's 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' due out July 31, 2026. Meanwhile, Zendaya has been back on the set of Season 3 of the HBO drama ' Euphoria,' which was heavily delayed before production resumed this year.
