Latest news with #NewZealander
The Star
31 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Super Rugby title earns Penney another year as Crusaders coach
(Reuters) -The Canterbury Crusaders have rewarded Rob Penney with another year as coach after he led them to the Super Rugby Pacific title in his second season in charge. The 61-year-old New Zealander endured a miserable first season as coach of the Christchurch team in 2024, when the now 15-times Super Rugby champions missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade with a 4-10 record. With a couple of key players back on the park after injury, however, Penney restored normal service in 2025 as the Crusaders finished second in the regular season standings before edging the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in the playoff final. "I'm really excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to work with this great organisation and team again," Penney said in a news release. "This group is on the cusp of doing something pretty special again and I'm rapt to be a part of it." Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge said a consistent theme had emerged during the organisation's post-season review. "Rob comes from this real place of deep care, and I think that's felt by all of the players," he said. "The players talked about how much he cared for them and how he genuinely tried to do the best that he could for them." (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Straits Times
31 minutes ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Super Rugby title earns Penney another year as Crusaders coach
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The Canterbury Crusaders have rewarded Rob Penney with another year as coach after he led them to the Super Rugby Pacific title in his second season in charge. The 61-year-old New Zealander endured a miserable first season as coach of the Christchurch team in 2024, when the now 15-times Super Rugby champions missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade with a 4-10 record. With a couple of key players back on the park after injury, however, Penney restored normal service in 2025 as the Crusaders finished second in the regular season standings before edging the Waikato Chiefs 16-12 in the playoff final. "I'm really excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to work with this great organisation and team again," Penney said in a news release. "This group is on the cusp of doing something pretty special again and I'm rapt to be a part of it." Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge said a consistent theme had emerged during the organisation's post-season review. "Rob comes from this real place of deep care, and I think that's felt by all of the players," he said. "The players talked about how much he cared for them and how he genuinely tried to do the best that he could for them." REUTERS
Newsweek
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Lydia Ko Finally Reveals Secret Behind Spectacular Women's Open Victory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A year ago, Lydia Ko teed off for the final round of the AIG Women's Open three strokes behind the 54-hole leader, Jiyai Shin. Her situation was made worse by the fact that top players like Lilia Vu and Nelly Korda were ahead of her on the leaderboard. Despite ultimately winning the tournament, even Ko herself had no clear idea that she was squarely in contention for the title. In fact, it didn't dawn on the Kiwi until well into the fourth round. Ko recalled that electrifying final round during her press conference ahead of the current edition of the tournament, which begins Thursday at Royal Porthcawl, Wales. "I didn't realize I was tied for the lead until I saw the leaderboard on 16," she said, according to the transcripts. "In my mind, I thought I was kind of like top 10 somewhere. I just wanted to have a strong finish and see where that put me." Lydia Ko of New Zealand, poses with the AIG Women's Open trophy on Day Four of the AIG Women's Open at St Andrews Old Course on August 25, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland. Lydia Ko of New Zealand, poses with the AIG Women's Open trophy on Day Four of the AIG Women's Open at St Andrews Old Course on August 25, 2024 in St Andrews, her lack of awareness about her chances of winning the tournament was a secret weapon in her quest to lift her third major championship trophy. "I didn't think I was, like, in contention for the win," she said, according to the transcripts. "I think I played a bit more freely and just kind of stuck to my game plan. Maybe if I'd seen the leaderboard more, maybe my course management might have changed, but I think during that time for 90 percent of my round, I didn't really know what situation I was in." "So it just made me focus on that shot in front of me. I think that made me able to play really solid and not really worry about anything else." Ko played at an extraordinary level in that final round, admirably handling the rain and wind on the Old Course at St. Andrews. She carded 3-under for the round, with four birdies and a bogey, and went on to win the tournament at 7-under, two strokes ahead of Vu, Shin, Korda, and Ruoning Yin. With that victory, the New Zealander capped a historic season, earning her the points she needed to earn induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame. To add even more to her legend, Ko completed this extraordinary feat by winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. More Golf: Tiger Woods' Son Charlie Passing Up Title Defense For Bigger Stage
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Williamson century drives Middlesex at Cheltenham
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, College Ground, Cheltenham (day one)Middlesex 232-3: Williamson 104*; M Taylor 2-47Gloucestershire: Yet to batGloucestershire 1 pt, Middlesex 0 ptsMatch scorecard Kane Williamson bit the hand that once fed him with an unbeaten century for Middlesex on a curtailed opening day of the County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at a life on 29, the prolific New Zealander hit 104 not out, off just 112 balls, against his former county as the visitors ran up 232-3 after winning the toss. Josh De Caires contributed 58 and Leus du Plooy 42 not out, before bad light and drizzle ended play at 16:50 seamer Matt Taylor was the pick of the Gloucestershire bowlers with 2-47 from 12 overs, but it was a largely disappointing day for the hosts in front of a sparse Festival crowd, no doubt resulting from the unsettled start was delayed until 12:15 by rain and when the covers were removed a two-tone pitch was revealed, green for the most part, but shaved at both ends. In deciding to bat first, Middlesex presumably anticipated it would turn as the match heavily overcast skies, Gloucestershire made a breakthrough with the second ball of the third over with the total on 10. Taylor found the edge of Sam Robson's bat and, although Cameron Bancroft could only parry the ball at first slip, Ollie Price was alert to pouch the Murphy was introduced into the attack from the College Lawn End for the ninth over, but the Australia Test off-spinner could make no impact during the shortened pre-lunch session, which ended with Middlesex Holden helped De Caires take the score to 54 in the 15th over before pushing forward to a ball from Taylor that he could have left and edging through to wicketkeeper James Bracey. Murphy switched to the Chapel End to little effect as De Caires moved to an authoritative half-century off 81 deliveries, with 10 fours.A big moment came with the score on 115-2 as Williamson edged Murphy to slip where Miles Hammond spilled a routine waist-high chance. It was all the good fortune the Kiwi master-bladesman needed to capitalise fully on the short boundaries at the College Caires was visibly frustrated to depart two runs later, lbw playing across a full delivery from Ben Charlesworth. That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire, du Plooy helping Williamson add 87 without alarm before the tea reached a 68-ball half-century, with 7 fours, Williamson took 20 off an over from Graeme van Buuren, twice smacking the left-arm spinner back over his head for sixes. Du Plooy looked equally untroubled and was unbeaten on 28 at tea, with his partner 10 away from a final session saw Williamson bring up the century partnership off just 95 balls before moving to his own hundred with a single to square leg off Murphy. He had faced only 104 deliveries and hit 12 fours and two the skies closing in, umpires Neil Pratt and Sue Redfern decided the light was unfit with a further 32 overs still possible in the day. Soon the rain was falling heavily again and play was abandoned at just after 17: Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Andrew Goodman: 'A big part of his philosophy as a coach is just that, to make sure everyone is all in'
A relentless man motivator who pushes his coaches as much as his players and gets huge buy-in from all who work under him. Even when it's a recreation of hit TV show Squid Game before training, it is no surprise to Andrew Goodman that Andy Farrell has brought the British & Irish Lions to the brink of a series clean sweep over Australia. The Lions are just a win away in Saturday's third and final Test from making the 2025 series against the Wallabies a 3-0 whitewash, which would complete a 100% return from nine tour matches on Australian soil under head coach Farrell's command. Ireland attack coach Goodman is one of four of Farrell's assistants on tour alongside Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Johnny Sexton and the New Zealander can count Scott Robertson, the current All Blacks boss, at the Crusaders and Leinster's Leo Cullen as 'pretty amazing coaches' whose strengths he sees in the Lions boss. Yet one suspects Farrell has left the deepest impression on the Kiwi and that this journey Down Under has only enhanced his appreciation of his boss. That was clear on Tuesday as he outlined what the head coach had brought to the tour. 'Just his motivation and his ability to bring the group together and his ability to make sure everyone has been all in together the whole time,' Goodman said. 'Whether they are involved in Test matches are midweek games, it doesn't feel like there has been any separation in the group whatsoever. 'He's had his finger on the pulse the whole time. A big part of his philosophy as a coach is just that, to make sure everyone is all in, all the time in terms of what we do on the field and off the field, you always add to the group. 'You're always preparing the group as best you can whether you're starting, on the bench, or not involved. He's constantly on that and he's constantly on us as coaches to make sure we're driving that. He's a great man-motivator, he's a great man around connecting the wider staff and management group as well. I'm learning stuff of him every day, he's an amazing coach and it's a privilege to work underneath him.' To give an example of Farrell's methods, Goodman did not have long to recall the impact he has on Lions sessions, citing Tuesday's return to the training field at North Sydney's Shore School and a surprise recreation of the satirical Korean drama set on a dystopian reality television show, where players risk their lives playing children's games. 'Just his relentlessness. It's not just one thing, it's because it's every day. He's always on having fun as a group. Today we got down to training and he'd sent Fogs down early to set up the Squid Game mini-team challenge, the whole field was covered in equipment. 'The staff were dressed up in all that kit, the speakers were all set up, a bit of fun, stuff like that to get a bit of energy back in the group. The mini-team stuff, the little challenges he'll have at the start of meetings, there's always a bit of craic, a bit of a laugh involved. 'It keeps the boys engaged and fresh and it's not just going into a meeting where it's rugby all the time. There are little bits like that that make it enjoyable as well. 'We had a Squid Game challenge, green light, red light, the whole field was covered in different things they could hide behind, and they had people in the top tier keeping an eye on people. It was a good craic.' Fortunately for the Lions, death was not a consequence of a wrong move, though Goodman did reveal the first victim. 'Tom Clarkson - one of the props - hard to hide. 'Every week we've done things like that. All part of touring, isn't it? Even with Ireland it's a part of his week to make sure there's fun involved.'
