Boxing: Waikato fighter Alex Mukuka to take on Dominic Reed in Taupō
The Commonwealth Games representative will fight Christchurch's Dominic Reed in Taupō.
Mukuka, a four-time New Zealand national amateur champion, was last in the ring in May when he defeated Whangārei's Ross Malthus by unanimous decision in Te
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Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Call-up surreal even for veteran
Kelly Brazier looked down at her phone and saw the name she did not want flashing up at her. It was Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting ringing to let his players know if they had made the Rugby World Cup squad. Brazier had been told if she got the call from a position-specific coach, she was heading to England — but if she heard from Bunting, it was not good news. "His name actually came up on my phone so initially I was like, 'oh no'. Then next minute it was 'congratulations'," Brazier told the Otago Daily Times . "Just excited, happy and ready to get into work with the rest of the girls. "It's still pretty surreal." Brazier is the veteran of the squad at 35 and will join an elite club running out for her fourth World Cup later this month. The first five, who was named at second five in the World Rugby women's team of the 2010-19 decade, has nearly done it all in her career. She is a dual World Cup winner with the Black Ferns in 2010 and 2017, and won Olympic and Commonwealth Games medals, and World Cups, as a long-serving member of the Black Ferns Sevens. But the last couple of years left the 43-test stalwart — who had not played for the Black Ferns since 2021 until last month — hungry for more. The sting of being left out of the World Cup-winning squad in 2022 remained and injuries sidelined her for the Paris Olympics sevens campaign. "It's definitely up there," she said, when asked where the 2025 World Cup selection ranked. "The disappointment of not making that World Cup squad in New Zealand — I was absolutely gutted. "The last year and a-half, I guess battling a few sort of Achilles problems ... to finally be selected again, and be injury free, and get that phone call, I was over the moon and kind of felt like the first one all over again." Brazier, who grew up in Dunedin, made her comeback in Super Rugby Aupiki with Chiefs Manawa this year, and even after 15 years as an elite athlete, it was a shock to the system. "Even with Manawa the first week I was like, 'oh my God, what am I doing?' It was so hard. "Everyone used to complain about sevens was hard, but man, going back to 15s ... I was sort of questioning myself." Brazier, who was the top scorer (48 points) at her debut World Cup in 2010, was room-mates with Portia Woodman-Wickliffe — named for her third World Cup — at the first Black Ferns camp this year. They spent many late nights wading through information and game-plan changes and soon realised they had a lot to learn compared with their early days. "We'd be up until 10, 11 o'clock at night testing each other or writing in our books," Brazier said. "There was definitely a lot to learn, and different from when we were last in here, but I guess it's the challenge we want and excited from it." That spoke to the growth of the women's game, which Brazier said had been massive during her tenure. It was not lost on her how "surreal" it was to be heading back to England, where she played her first World Cup game 15 years ago. Back then, the final was played at Twickenham Stoop with a capacity of 14,800, whereas the 2025 final will be played at Twickenham Stadium with a capacity of 82,000. "Women's rugby has made massive leaps and bounds. "I think it's only going to continue that way as well, which is exciting." When she started, the Black Ferns seldom had tests before a World Cup — "now you've got 10 in a year." Tests were crucial for building towards pinnacle events and growing the game. "What you don't know, you don't know until you're put in those situations. "To have these opportunities now, and not even just the rugby, the chance to travel the world, experience different food, different culture ... "Probably why I've stayed in the game for so long is ... the experiences you get from it as well." But there is no place like home. Brazier left Dunedin in 2013 but has fond memories of the city and returned home for Christmas with her family last year. "I love going back home. It's my roots. "Obviously born and bred and proud to be from down there, which I think a lot of people don't realise because I've been gone for so long. "I'm definitely a Dunedin girl through and through — something I'm really proud of."
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Boxing: Waikato fighter Alex Mukuka to take on Dominic Reed in Taupō
Matamata fighter Alex Mukuka will return to the professional boxing ring in October. The Commonwealth Games representative will fight Christchurch's Dominic Reed in Taupō. Mukuka, a four-time New Zealand national amateur champion, was last in the ring in May when he defeated Whangārei's Ross Malthus by unanimous decision in Te
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Netball: Silver Ferns to face England, Scotland in Commonwealth Games warmups
The Silver Ferns vs England in 2024. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport The Silver Ferns will play two tests against Scotland and three against England in November as the side prepares for next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The five-test northern tour will see the Ferns take on the Scottish Thistles, before heading south to London and Manchester where they will meet England three times, starting on 15 November. The series will be a key part of the Silver Ferns' build-up for next year's Commonwealth Games. The Silver Ferns usually have a January series in the Northern Hemisphere, but that did not happen this year. England, who beat the Silver Ferns 2-1 in last year's Taini Jamison series, will be a tough team to take on at the Commonwealth Games. It will be the first time the Silver Ferns have been back to Scotland since the two nations met for the build-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and the first time that international netball will be played at the state-of-the-art Playsport Arena in Glasgow. Silver Ferns head coach Dame Noeline Taurua said the northern tour was hugely important in preparation for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and returning to Scotland would also hold some special memories for herself. "I'm absolutely thrilled about the opportunity to head north for this series in November. "Scotland holds a special place in my heart having completed my Masters of Sport Coaching at the University of Stirling, so it will be incredibly special to return there with the Silver Ferns. "These additional fixtures are a vital part of our preparation as we build towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Finishing the tour with a three-Test series against the England Roses - currently ranked fourth in the world - will provide the high-quality competition we need to continue challenging ourselves and growing as a group." Scotland's head coach Kath Tetley shared Taurua's excitement about the two tests with the World No. 2 Silver Ferns. "I am thrilled that the Thistles will be hosting a star-studded Silver Ferns squad in Glasgow this November - this will be an incredible preparation opportunity for our 2026 international season. "We will be ready for the challenge, and we can't wait to have a Thistles Army of supporters packed into the venue and getting around us." The Ferns will head south to take on the England Roses at Copper Box Arena in London on 15 and 16 November before moving to AO Arena in Manchester. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
