Midday Sports News for 4 August 2025
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NZ Herald
18 minutes ago
- NZ Herald
Former All Blacks winger George Bridge signs two-year deal with Western Force
Former All Blacks and Crusaders winger George Bridge has penned a two-year deal with Australian Super Rugby Pacific team the Western Force. Bridge, a veteran of the 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign, signed a three-year deal with French club Montpellier in 2022 after a successful six-season stint with the Crusaders.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 5 August
Scott Robertson speaks to media on Monday about his All Blacks squad for the Rugby Championship. Photo: Nathan Mckinnon / RNZ Fiji-born utility backline player Timoci Tavatavanawai has been retained in the All Blacks squad for the upcoming Rugby Championship series. Tavatavanawai, first selected for the series against France in July, has been named by head coach Scott Robertson alongside fellow Queen Victoria School alumni Sevu Reece and Emoni Narawa. He is one of 16 players of Pasifika heritage named in the squad to face Argentina, Australia and South Africa in the series, which kicks off on 17 August. Two more players of Pasifika originals are named as injury covers, in George Bower and Tevita Mafileo. The All Blacks face the Pumas in their first game. Three Fijian players tested positive for illegal drugs during the Fiji Football Association-organised Battle of the Giants tournament in Labasa at the weekend. Fiji Football Association chief executive Mohammed Yusuf said 48 tests were done on Friday and Saturday. The Fiji Sun reported disciplinary actions range from a fine and a three-month suspension for first offenders, to harsher penalties if that's warranted. Yusuf said the Fiji FA is teaming up with a non-governmental organisation to take drug awareness into districts around the country. The Fiji men's netball team has recorded a narrow 43-42 win over New Zealand on day one of an invitational tournament in Suva. It was the first time the two teams met in men's netball. FBC reported the high-intensity match lived up to the hype. Meanwhile, Fiji A also defeated Tonga 60-37 in the opening match. The action continues on Tuesday with Fiji A taking on New Zealand while Tonga squares off against the main Fiji team. World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson says "rugby is the game of the Pacific". The former Wallaby, now at the helm of world rugby, made the comments after Pacific rugby chiefs recently raised concern over the NRL's investment into the region. The NRL's multi-million-dollar deal between the Australian and PNG governments has raised concerns on how that might affect rugby union. Speaking at the launch of the ticketing programme for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Robinson said he's confident of rugby's status in the Pacific. Northern Marianas Sports Association President Jerry Tan says he wants the CNMI to send their largest-ever delegation to the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti. Marianas Variety reported Tan made the statement at a celebration ceremony for NMI athletes who competed at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau. Tan said the goal is to send 259 athletes to Tahiti, representing sports such as football, swimming, va'a, baseball, sailing, taekwondo and power lifting. He said work on the process of securing a charter flight with Air Tahiti will begin soon, with fundraising activities to fund Team NMI also expected to roll out in the next few months.
1News
an hour ago
- 1News
'Tried to follow him' - All Blacks' 'bolter' Parker on his enforcer idol
New All Blacks squad member Simon Parker has spoken about how he "zoned out" when head coach Scott Robertson told him the news of his selection, the haka his Northland teammates gave in celebration, and the loose forward enforcer he has modelled his game on. While four uncapped players were named in Robertson's wider Rugby Championship squad yesterday, Parker is the only one to feature in the main squad, an indication as to how highly regarded he is by the selectors. The others, prop Tevita Mafileo, halfback Kyle Preston and utility back Leroy Carter have been named as injury cover and may be used more in a training capacity in the short term, including in Argentina, although Preston is a possibility to play in Cordoba or Buenos Aires due to the injuries to Cam Roigard and Noah Hotham. Parker, 25, was not named for last month's three-Test series against France, probably because of an ankle injury suffered in the Chiefs' qualifier loss to the Blues in June, but he started at No.8 for Northland in their Ranfurly Shield defeat to Taranaki at the weekend and clearly the selectors have seen enough. It is not difficult to see the appeal. At 1.97m and about 120kg, Parker is a big man and plays like one, with the added advantage of being mobile enough to play in the outside channels. ADVERTISEMENT Robertson has made no secret of wanting big and powerful forwards to combat the giants roaming the fields of South Africa, France, Ireland and England and a peculiarity of his squad is the fact all of those at the front of the queue for the No.6 jersey - Parker, Tupou Vaa'i, Samipeni Finau and to a lesser extent Wallace Sititi and Luke Jacobson - represent the Chiefs. Robertson will likely see Parker as a medium-to-long-term project who could start to properly deliver during next year's arduous tour of South Africa ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Jerome Kaino goes on the charge against the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park in 2017. (Source: Photosport) Parker's physical dimensions make him slightly bigger than former All Blacks legend Jerome Kaino, one of the best blindside flankers to represent New Zealand and a man successive head coaches have failed to replace since he stepped down in 2017. Parker is 1cm taller than Kaino and about 10kg heavier. It is important to remember that the former Blues man was a late developer – more evidence that Parker should be handled carefully and with patience, but Robertson's comment yesterday that the loose forward is "intimidating" is yet another plus and a nod to Kaino. 'I tried in a way to follow in the footsteps of Jerome Kaino because of the physical presence he was,' Parker told 1News today. 'I love the contact side of the game and I just try to get involved as much as I can.' One of the more memorable moments of Robertson's squad announcement yesterday was his explaining the conversation with Parker when he broke the news. ADVERTISEMENT Parker told him he didn't know what to say and so the man known as Razor responded with "don't worry, I'll do the talking for you". It was an account confirmed today by Parker at Northland's training base in Whangārei. Parker said he was in a team review meeting when Robertson rang. 'When I saw I missed his call I started shaking and when I called him I started apologising. He said 'no, it's all good news, mate. Congratulations and welcome to the All Blacks'. 'I zoned out for about 10 seconds, to be honest. I went back and said, 'thanks very much, sorry I haven't got much to say, I'm a bit overwhelmed'. Simon Parker is tackled during the Chiefs' loss to the Blues in June - a match in which he injured an ankle. (Source: Photosport) He said after calling his wife and parents to tell them the news he was greeted with a haka by his teammates. ADVERTISEMENT 'I haven't had too many haka done for me and so to see that done by many guys who I grew up with was pretty special,' he said. Parker will travel to Argentina with several other squad members after playing for Northland against Southland in Whangārei on Friday. The first Test is in Cordoba on August 17 and the second is a week later in Buenos Aires. 'I'm probably the one taking the credit but I couldn't have done it without my family,' he said. 'There is a geographical challenge to playing sport up here. I'm thankful to everyone who has put time into me. 'Sitting on the bank at Okara Park and watching the human highlight reel [and former Northland All Black] Rene Ranger going about his business was pretty cool. Hopefully I can inspire others by showing it can be done.' The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the West Auckland builder sentenced over massive meth haul, fire on a commuter train, and how Bluey could teach kids about resilience. (Source: 1News) All Blacks squad for Rugby Championship ADVERTISEMENT The squad is as follows: (age, Super Rugby club, province, Test caps) * denotes new caps Hookers: Codie Taylor (34, Crusaders / Canterbury, 98), Samisoni Taukei'aho (27, Chiefs / Waikato, 33), Brodie McAlister (28, Chiefs / Canterbury, 1). Props: Ethan de Groot (27, Highlanders / Southland, 32), Tamaiti Williams (24, Crusaders / Canterbury, 18), Ollie Norris (25, Chiefs / Waikato, 2), Tyrel Lomax (29, Hurricanes / Tasman, 45), Fletcher Newell (25, Crusaders / Canterbury, 25), Pasilio Tosi (27, Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty, 9). Locks: Scott Barrett (31, Crusaders / Taranaki, 81) (Captain), Patrick Tuipulotu (32, Blues / Auckland, 55), Tupou Vaa'i (25, Chiefs / Taranaki, 40), Fabian Holland (22, Highlanders / Otago, 3). Loose forwards: Samipeni Finau (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 11), Simon Parker (25, Chiefs / Northland, *), Ardie Savea (31, Moana Pasifika / Wellington, 97) (Vice-Captain), Du'Plessis Kirifi (28, Hurricanes / Wellington, 3), Wallace Sititi (22, Chiefs / North Harbour, 10), Peter Lakai (22, Hurricanes / Wellington, 3), Luke Jacobson (28, Chiefs / Waikato, 24). Halfbacks: Cortez Ratima (24, Chiefs / Waikato, 14), Cameron Roigard (24, Hurricanes / Counties Manukau, 12), Noah Hotham (22, Crusaders / Tasman, 2). ADVERTISEMENT First-five eighths: Beauden Barrett (34, Blues / Taranaki, 136), Damian McKenzie (30, Chiefs / Waikato, 64). Midfielders: Anton Lienert-Brown (30, Chiefs / Waikato, 85), Jordie Barrett (28, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 71) (Vice-Captain), Quinn Tupaea (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 16), Billy Proctor (26, Hurricanes / Wellington, 4), Timoci Tavatavanawai (27, Highlanders / Tasman, 2). Outside backs: Rieko Ioane (28, Blues / Auckland, 83), Caleb Clarke (26, Blues / Auckland, 29), Sevu Reece (28, Crusaders / Southland, 34), Emoni Narawa (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 3), Will Jordan (27, Crusaders / Tasman, 44), Ruben Love (24, Hurricanes / Wellington, 2). Injury cover George Bower (33, Crusaders / Otago, 23) for Tamaiti Williams, Tevita Mafileo (27, Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty, *) for Tyrel Lomax, Josh Lord (24, Chiefs / Taranaki, 7) for Luke Jacobson, Finlay Christie (29, Blues / Tasman, 23) for Cameron Roigard/Noah Hotham, Kyle Preston (25, Crusaders / Wellington, *) for Cameron Roigard/Noah Hotham, Leroy Carter (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, *) for Caleb Clarke. Unavailable due to injury: Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Asafo Aumua, Stephen Perofeta.
