Latest news with #testmatches
RNZ News
05-08-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Quartet of rugby league tests set for Auckland
The Kiwis will play Samoa and Tonga while the Ferns will meet Samoa and Australia. Photo: Photosport Auckland will host both the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns in two blockbuster double header weekends later this year. The annual Pacific Championships will see a double-header between the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns and Toa Samoa and Fetu Samoa respectively at Tāmaki Makaurau's Go Media Stadium on Sunday 19 October. Then, on Sunday 2 November, Eden Park will host the Kiwi Ferns taking on the Australian Jillaroos before the Kiwis face Tonga. NZRL chief executive Greg Peters said rugby league test matches did not get much better than these Pacific clashes. "We know the staunchly proud Tongan and Samoan fans especially will come out in force, celebrating their teams and culture in what will be unmissable matches. With the growth of the women's game too, having the Kiwi Ferns back in Auckland for two matches this year, where they have a strong supporter base, is pivotal in inspiring the next generation of female fans and young players in the game." Set against a near sell-out crowd last year, Pacific rivals Tonga took down the Kiwis in a thrilling match 25-24. With current champions the Australian Kangaroos heading to the Northern Hemisphere, the title is up for grabs, and the Kiwis will be wanting to lift the trophy again after winning the inaugural championships in 2023. The Kiwi Ferns too will be looking to claim back their 2023 title, a series that saw them defeat the Australian Jillaroos for the first time in seven years. Those heroics couldn't be repeated last year, going down in the final 24-4 to the Jillaroos. The match-up against Fetu Samoa will however offer the Kiwi Ferns a new test, having not played Samoa since 2020. The Pacific Championships features two tiers - the Pacific Cup and the Pacific Bowl - with the competing nations going head-to-head in a round robin format before the top two teams in each tier head to the finals, to be played again at CommBank Stadium in Sydney, Australia. Sunday 19 October Go Media Stadium, Auckland Kiwi Ferns vs Fetu Samoa Kiwis vs Toa Samoa Sunday 2 November Eden Park, Auckland Kiwi Ferns vs Australian Jillaroos Kiwis vs Tonga Sunday 9 November CommBank Stadium, Sydney Grand Finals, men's and women's Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Washington Post
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Cricket legends Brian Lara and Viv Richards to help beleaguered West Indies team
Only a day after West Indies endured one of its worst performances in nearly a century of playing test matches, the president of the Caribbean cricket board was looking to the past to improve the future. WICB president Kishore Shallow on Tuesday said he plans to enlist Caribbean cricket greats such as Viv Richards and Brian Lara to help a West Indian lineup that scored just 27 runs in its second innings – one run short of the all-time test record for low totals — while losing the third of three tests to Australia.
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Cricket legends Brian Lara and Viv Richards to help beleaguered West Indies team
Only a day after West Indies endured one of its worst performances in nearly a century of playing test matches, the president of the Caribbean cricket board was looking to the past to improve the future. WICB president Kishore Shallow on Tuesday said he plans to enlist Caribbean cricket greats such as Viv Richards and Brian Lara to help a West Indian lineup that scored just 27 runs in its second innings – one run short of the all-time test record for low totals — while losing the third of three tests to Australia. The batting collapse continued a pattern for the West Indian test team — it hasn't won a test series since 2022-23, when it beat Zimbabwe in the Caribbean. Since then it has drawn three and lost five series. It was swept in 3-0 over the last few weeks at home against Australia, culminating in the humiliating defeat in the third test on Monday. Shallow had seen enough. 'The result hurts deeply, not only because of how we lost, but because of what West Indies Cricket has always represented to our people: pride, identity, and possibility,' Shallow said in a statement. 'There will be some sleepless nights ahead for many of us, including the players, who I know feel this loss just as heavily. We are in a rebuilding phase, steadily investing in the next generation, and reigniting the spirit that has long made West Indies cricket a force in the world.' Indeed it was a force. By the late 1970s, the Caribbean side was recognized as unofficial world champions, a title they retained throughout the 1980s thanks to batters like Richards complemented by feared bowlers like Curtly Ambrose. Now, Richards, known fondly at times as Sir Viv after receiving a British knighthood for his services to cricket, will be part of the rescue package. Shallow said he had ordered an emergency meeting to review the Australia test series, 'particularly the final match.' Some of the fast bowling produced against Australia in the series resembled the days when West Indies' pacemen dominated the world of cricket, but batting deficiencies let the team down badly. 'To strengthen the discussions, I have extended invitations to three of our greatest batsmen ever: Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards and Brian Lara,' Shallow said. 'They will join past greats Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Desmond Haynes and Ian Bradshaw.' Lloyd, who is 80, was a West Indies captain and leading figure of the team's overwhelming success in his era. He scored 19 centuries in his 110-test career that ended in 1984. The 73-year-old Richards scored 24 centuries in 121 test matches. Lara, who retired in 2006, scored 34 centuries in 131 tests. He holds the record for the most runs scored in a test innings — 400 not out against England in 2004. It remains the only quadruple century in test cricket. It's not clear whether the support group will help in the shorter formats of ODI and Twenty20 cricket. West Indies have had 3-0 series losses this year to England in both formats. On the plus side, the Caribbean team drew an ODI series and won a T20 series in Ireland. Shallow insists he's not paying lip service to the chaos surrounding the test team, which played its first test matches in England in 1928, losing the series 3-0. 'This engagement is not ceremonial,' Shallow said. 'These are men who helped define our golden eras, and their perspectives will be invaluable as we shape the next phase of our cricket development.' ___ AP cricket:
RNZ News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Cricket: New Black Caps coach Rob Walter's insight expected to help against South Africa
The Black Caps are set to play their first series under new coach Rob Walter in Zimbabwe, starting on Wednesday night. New Zealand are in southern Africa for a T20 Tri-Series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa, before playing two tests against Zimbabwe. Walter took over as head coach from Gary Stead last month. Mitchell Santner captains the T20 side, while Tom Latham will lead the test side. Santner said Walter had settled into the side very easily. "We've been chatting a lot leading into this tour and he's been around domestic teams in New Zealand (coached both Otago and Central Districts)," Santner said on the eve of their first game. "He's bringing in a fresh way to approach things, which has been good for this group." Walter is a South African and had helped the Proteas' white-ball sides over the last couple of years. Photo: AFP Santner said while they knew the South African players well, Walter's insight would help. "If you have a coach that has been in a few different environments then they're going to pick up on things that a team does or does not do well, and Rob has shared his views on both. "The great thing about Rob is that he is very personable with everyone and he'll tell you straight, and that's all the players really want. "It's great to have that inside knowledge on how we are going to play and how [opposition sides] may operate at times." It was a long time since New Zealand had been in Zimbabwe. They last played a test there in 2016, and limited-overs games in 2015. New Zealand players involved in the Major League final in the US - Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell and Mark Chapman - won't be involved in the opening game as they only arrive in the country a few hours before. That means the three players that were called in as cover - Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay and Tim Robinson - could get a callup for the game against South Africa. South Africa beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the opening game of the tri-series, with debutant Rubin Hermann top scoring with 45. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CBC
25-06-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canada names 42-man camp roster ahead of July rugby tests in Edmonton
Canada rugby coach Stephen Meehan has called 42 players into camp in Edmonton ahead of July test matches against Belgium and Spain. Meehan, an Australian, was named coach in December, succeeding Kingsley Jones, who stepped down after seven years on the job. Meehan, who officially started in April, makes his coaching debut with the 24th-ranked Canadian men against No. 22 Belgium on July 12 and No. 17 Spain on July 18, with both games at Edmonton's Clarke Stadium. The final roster of 32 will be announced in early July "Players and staff alike are really eager to get on the pitch and get the season started, and I'm looking forward to getting stuck in with this squad in Edmonton," Meehan said in a statement. "This time together will be extremely valuable as we make our final selections for the July tests and build a strong foundation as we strive toward Rugby World Cup qualification later this year. "We have invited a mix of experienced players and new talent and are looking forward to seeing what they each bring to camp." After the July tests, the Canadians begin Pacific Nations Cup play Aug. 22 in Calgary against the 15th-ranked U.S. before facing No. 13 Japan on Aug. 30 in Sendai. The Pacific Nations Cup playoffs start Sept. 14 in Denver, with the finals set for Sept. 20 in Salt Lake City. The six-team tournament, which also includes No. 9 Fiji, No. 14 Samoa and No. 19 Tonga, represents Canada's first opportunity to qualify for the 2027 World Cup. The Canadian men missed out on the 2023 tournament for the first time. Meehan had previously named a 59-man long list, featuring 20 players who were uncapped in 15s. The new list features 12 of those uncapped players, including Jamie Armstrong, Morgan Di Nardo and Kyle Tremblay, who are capped in sevens play but not 15s. The squad includes seven members of the New England Free Jacks, who look to win a third-straight Major League Rugby title on Saturday when they take on the Houston SaberCats at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I. The Free Jack players will then join the Canada camp. New England rallied to edge the Chicago Hounds 21-20 in the MLR Eastern Conference final on Saturday. Chicago's Lucas Rumball, Matt Owuru, Jason Higgins and brothers Mason and Noah Flesch all made the Canada camp roster. The Canada squad also includes Evan Olmstead, a 34-year-old forward who last played for Canada at the 2019 World Cup. The six-foot-five 247-pounder is currently playing for SU Agen in France's second tier. Olmstead was born in Canada but moved to Australia when he was three. There is also a place for Edmonton forward Kaden Duguid, the older brother of former Canadian international Tyler Duguid, who has switched international allegiance to France where he plays his club rugby. Tyler Duguid started for France 'A' in a 26-24 win over England 'A' on Saturday at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium. Uncles John and Luke Tait both represented Canada and played professionally in Europe. John Tait, formerly the Canadian women's sevens coach, is B.C. Rugby's technical director. Meehan will be assisted by defence coach Phil Mack and restart and breakdown coach Anthony Mathison. Canada Training Camp Roster (x denotes uncapped player, y- denotes capped in sevens but not 15s) Forwards Andrew Quattrin, Holland Landing, Ont., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Austin Creighton, Edmonton, James Bay AA; x-Caleb Ashworth, Crowborough, Harlequins FC (England); Calixto Martinez, White Rock, B.C., Old Glory DC (MLR); Callum Botchar, Vancouver, NOLA Gold (MLR); Cole Keith, Sussex N.B., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Dewald Kotze, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Donald Carson, Tsawwassen, B.C., Britannia Lions; x-Emerson Prior, Brockville, Ont., Utah Warriors (MLR); Evan Olmstead, Vancouver, SU Agen (France); Foster Dewitt, Courtenay, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); x-Griffin Phillipson, Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, City of Armagh RFC (Northern Ireland); Izzak Kelly, White Rock, B.C., Capilano RFC; James Stockwood, Bowmanville, Ont., Oshawa Vikings; x-Jeffrey Young, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Kaden Duguid, Edmonton, NOLA Gold (MLR); x-Karl Hunger, Beaconsfield, Que., Pacific Pride; Kyle Steeves, Winnipeg, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Lucas Rumball, Toronto, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Mason Flesch, Cobourg, Ont., Chicago Hounds (MLR); Matt Heaton, Godmanchester, Que., RFC LA (MLR); Matthew Oworu, Calgary, Chicago Hounds (MLR); Piers Von Dadelszen, Vancouver, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Sion Parry, Cardiff, Wales, Ebbw Vale RFC (Wales); Tyler Matchem, Pictou County, N.S., NOLA Gold (MLR). Backs Ben LeSage, Calgary, New England Free Jacks (MLR); Brock Gallagher, Edmonton, Seattle Seawolves (MLR); Cooper Coats, Halifax, NOLA Gold (MLR); y-Ethan Turner, Maple Ridge, B.C., Kalinga Black Tigers (India); Isaac Olson, Vernon, B.C., New England Free Jacks (MLR); Jamie Armstrong, Ottawa, University of Ottawa; Jason Higgins, Cork, Ireland, Chicago Hounds (MLR); x-Josh McIndoe, Victoria, Greerton Marist Rugby Club (New Zealand); y-Kyle Tremblay, White Rock, B.C., Pacific Pride; Luke Toroca, Nadi, Fiji, Langley Rugby Club; x-Maddox MacLean, Brisbane, Australia, Souths Rugby Club Brisbane (Australia); y-Morgan Di Nardo, Toronto, University of Victoria; Nic Benn, Caves Beach, Australia, Utah Warriors (MLR); Noah Flesch, Cobourg, Ont., Chicago Hounds (MLR); Peter Nelson, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, Dungannon RFC (Northern Ireland) x-Stephen Webb, Toronto, UBC; Talon McMullin, White Rock, B.C., UBC. Head Coach: Stephen Meehan.
