Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

The Warriors have one last shot to keep their finals run alive. 

After losing to the Dolphins last week, this week's death match with the Newcastle Knights will decide whether or not they'll move onto the preliminary finals. 

Warriors icon Sione Faumuina played in the 2002 season in which they nearly took home the premiership. 

He joined Piney to discuss the upcoming clash, his career with the club, and one of his greatest highlights. 

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Auckland FC is heading into its third A-League season as the defending champions. 

They've had a busy off season, filled with preparations, including a trip to Saudi Arabia and a match against Tottenham Hotspur. 

Star winger Lachlan Brook joined Piney to discuss how the team has gone about their off season and how they're tracking with a little under a month left before the A-League season begins. 

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The PSA Squash World Championships are heading to our shores. 

Auckland has been selected to host the 2028 event, which will take place just four months before the sport makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles. 

One of the great squash players, Dame Susan Devoy, told Piney it's a pretty momentous moment for New Zealand squash. 

She says that this being a qualifying event for the Olympics means that we'll have the best squash players in the world coming to New Zealand, which will be epic for the sport, and for our own champions. 

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New Zealand Rugby's top brass are positive about the trajectory of the All Blacks under head coach Dave Rennie. 

Since he took over in July the team have followed three Nations Championships wins in July with a 3-1 series loss to South Africa. 

Despite the overall result against the Springboks including three straight defeats NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster feels there's been good progress during Rennie's short time in charge. 

He told Piney it feels as though they were actually capable of winning the series, as they were pretty close in the three matches they lost. 

"It's given us a really good barometer of where the team sits against the Springboks ... we know what the gap is, we know what we need to do, and we're pretty confident that the, the group that we have leading the team will get them there." 

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James McOnie from the Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the All Blacks being beaten out by the Springboks again, this time in Baltimore, as well as the Warriors getting trounced by the Dolphins at Mount Smart.

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A third grand slam title for 27-year-old Elina Rybakina, after beating Aryna Sabalenka in three sets  at the US Open women's final.

It's Rybakina's second major win of the year after she beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final.

Tennis commentator Craig Gabriel recapped the victory and explained how this win makes her the world number one. 

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The Black Ferns have started their WXV northern tour with a 28-14 win over France in Lyon.

Coach Whitney Hansen says it was an 'awesome' battle, and joined Piney to recap the action.

New Zealand visit Scotland next weekend.

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A fast-finishing Dolphins side have stunned Go Media Stadium Mount Smart with three late tries to claim a 26-16 win, a week off and a home preliminary final.

The Warriors now go on to play the Newcastle Knights in a sudden-death match at home next weekend.

NZ Herald sports journalist Michael Burgess recapped the action, and revealed when the mood turned in the crowd. 

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One All Blacks coach has outlined how the team could improve following their third straight loss to South Africa.

The Springboks bounced back in the second half to win the match 43-28  - and win the overall series 3-1.

All Blacks assistant coach Neil Barnes says there were a few moments where the All Blacks were on the wrong side of a close call - and things got away from them.

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The All Blacks have ultimately fallen short in the Greatest Rivalry Series after South Africa trounced the team today.

The Springboks pulled away in the second half to win the fourth and final test in Baltimore 43-28 - and win the series 3-1.

Newstalk ZB Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith says the same issues have impacted the All Blacks throughout all four test matches, and they've got some areas to work on before the next World Cup.

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It's do or die this weekend, the All Blacks staring down the barrel of a series defeat at the hands of South Africa. 

After back-to-back losses to the Springboks, they'll need to secure a victory in Baltimore in order to level the series. 

Former All Black Victor Vito told Piney the team will be more driven than ever to square the series – as any number of defeats is one too many.  

He says he's spoken to some of the boys, and they're pretty keen to right the record. 

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The 2026 Warriors are kicking off their finals run this evening at Mt Smart Stadium, going up against the Dolphins. 

They're looking to go one step further than both the 2002 and 2011 teams, and become the first side to win the NRL Premiership. 

Icon of the '02 team, Jerry Seuseu joined Piney to discuss his memories from their finals run, and whether the current team will be able to do one better. 

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The Warriors are preparing for one of their biggest matches in recent memory. 

They're hosting the Dolphins tonight in the qualifying round – the winner moving straight onto the preliminary finals. 

Hooker Sam Healey told Piney their record-breaking regular season showed they were doing something right, but they're not satisfied yet.  

He says they're definitely proud of what they've done, but they're looking forward as well as they have their eyes on a bigger prize at the moment. 

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Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is heading across the Atlantic for its final test. 

After the Springboks secured two back-to-back victories, the All Blacks will need to claim victory in Baltimore, or the Boks will claim the series overall. 

Os du Randt played 18 tests against the All Blacks, and told Piney that growing up, Springboks would always say that testing yourself against the Kiwi side is the ultimate goal and ultimate achievement. 

He says versing the All Blacks is immense – you know you're going to be tested on every level. 

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An engine upgrade by Red Bull has penalised Liam Lawson ahead of Formula One's Italian Grand Prix, sending the Kiwi driver to the back of the grid.

Lawson only qualified in 14th place as Red Bull held back tyres and focused on him providing Max Verstappen with a slipstream.

F1 journalist Peter Windsor joined Piney to discuss further.

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The pressure's on for the Warriors ahead of the NRL finals, but they managed to make history last night.

The 31-30 win over the Manly Sea Eagles at Mt Smart ensures they've recorded the club's most-ever wins in an NRL regular season.

Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar joined Piney to discuss.

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The Black Ferns have pumped South Africa 52-20 in the first test of the historic double-header in Soweto.

New Zealand survived conceding four yellow cards to score eight tries to four, after leading 24-10 at halftime.

Head coach Whitney Hansen joined Piney to recap the action.

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Coach Dave Rennie is happy with the All Blacks effort in the 29-24 third test loss to South Africa in Soweto, but says they need to be more disciplined.

Ahead of their next test in Baltimore, Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith and NZ Herald senior rugby writer Liam Napier joined Piney to discuss what the Kiwi side could have done better.

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It's been a gutting morning for the All Blacks, with the Kiwi side losing to the Springboks 29-24 in Soweto.

Ardie Savea has a dislocated shoulder, Quinn Tupaea a damaged knee and Luke Jacobson has injured a tendon in his elbow - meaning three key players will be out of commission for the final test in Baltimore.

While the All Blacks lick their wounds on the flight to the United States they're sharing with the Springboks, coach Mike Blair joined Piney to discuss what went wrong.

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The Warriors are in a rare position. 

They're sitting atop the NRL ladder, points differential putting them just ahead of the Panthers, and have a solid shot at the minor premiership. 

They face the Manly Sea Eagles this afternoon, and a big win will go a long way to helping them secure the title they haven't won since 2002. 

Former Warrior Clinton Toopi told Piney it's exciting to see 'consistency' and 'Warriors' used in the same conversation. 

He says it's a beautiful thing and something to be proud of, and even in his era they probably didn't have the same consistency this current team has been able to produce. 

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After their loss in Cape Town, the All Blacks are looking to wrestle back the momentum in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. 

The third test is back in Johannesburg, and the Kiwi side will be aiming to use their pace and fitness to outrun the Springboks' forwards. 

Former All Black Justin Marshall told Piney they're both a younger and fitter side than the more experienced Springboks, which gives them a real advantage. 

He says the team is also obviously confident in their ability to deal with the altitude, and that it'd be a bigger problem for the South African side than it is for them.  

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Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is back in Johannesburg, the score tied at one win a piece. 

Both the All Blacks and the Springboks will be looking to seize control of the series before it heads offshore, the final test being played in Baltimore. 

South African rugby legend Naas Botha told Piney we're looking at a serious third test. 

He compared it to a boxing match, saying someone needs to go for the knockout now, because if you can get the edge for Baltimore, the other side will be forced to catch up or lose. 

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Sky is blaming a scheduling error for a gambling ad being played instead of Jai Arrow’s emotional walkout for his 100th game for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. 

Arrow announced his retirement from rugby league earlier this year as he battles motor neurone disease, but the NRL approved a special rule change to allow him to reach 100 games for South Sydney. 

Those in New Zealand hoping to watch the moment he stepped on to the pitch were unable to as Sky Sport cut to a Betcha betting ad for one minute and 20 seconds, returning to live coverage when Arrow was already on the field. 

Sky New Zealand’s head of sport content Gary Burchett told Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine the broadcaster made the wrong decision and apologised. 

“We knew the significance of Jai’s walkout and we knew what that moment was to Jai and his family and his teammates and fans of the NRL and simply, we should have shown that moment in full, live,” Burchett said. 

“That’s the obligation that we have to our customers and to fans of rugby league and I’m also very conscious that for those people and their families who face the daily realities and challenges of motor neurone disease, because that story resonates and goes well beyond the game itself, right? So we let them down too. 

Sky Sport has apologised for showing a gambling ad during Jai Arrow's walkout for his 100th and final game for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Photo / Photosport 

“In terms of what happened, as those who watched would have seen that the Titans and the Dolphins match ran over, which led to the host broadcaster Fox at the time switching to the tunnel of the Rabbitohs and the Roosters and that led to a scheduling error, which meant that an advertisement played out during Jai’s walkout. 

“So, that’s the straightforward explanation, not hiding behind it. We missed an incredibly important moment and that simply just was not good enough.” 

Burchett said a team of people, rather than something automated, chose to play the ad and Sky will review how those decisions are made. 

A scheduling error has been identified as the reason viewers in New Zealand missed the emotional moment. Photo / Photosport 

“Commercial commitments are part of broadcasting sport. They help finance our productions, they help Sky to acquire the sports [rights], but they can’t exist in isolation from what’s actually unfolding because ultimately good sports broadcast requires good judgment,” he said. 

“Sometimes the most important thing you can do is to stay with the pictures. Own the moment, let that moment breathe and allow the audience to experience it and Jai’s walkout was exactly that sort of moment.” 

When the ad ended, Arrow was already on the field with his teammates, before he was substituted just after the match started. Photo / Photosport 

Viewers vented their frustration on social media and Burchett said Sky had received strong feedback from customers. 

“They expected us to recognise and preserve and to shine a light on a moment that truly transcended rugby league and we didn’t. 

“Our customers trust us to bring the moments that matter in sport and we just fell short of that standard last night.” 

Sky had earlier released a statement apologising for the decision and posted the full walkout video online. 

“We know we missed a big moment, and we’re really sorry you didn’t get to see it live. Here’s Jai Arrow’s celebration in full,” the video was captioned with comments turned off. 

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James McOnie from the Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the All Blacks being beaten out by the Springboks and the latest action from the EPL.

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Touring is one of the great traditions of team sports - but there's a lot of hidden drawbacks amongst the glamorous parts.

As the All Blacks keep their current series going in South Africa, there'll be some extra pressure on the Kiwi side following this morning's loss. 

Coaching expert Wayne Goldsmith joined Piney to explain further.

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Northland's hoping to hang on to the Ranfurly Shield this afternoon - after claiming it for the first time since 1978 with a 36-12 victory over Canterbury.

The team will face off against the Tasman Mako at Semenoff Stadium this evening. 

Northland vice-captain Allan Craig joined Piney to discuss further.

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The Warriors are preparing to roll out the least experienced halves combination in a decade against the Knights this afternoon.

Jett Cleary will debut at halfback alongside Luke Hanson, who's making just his third NRL appearance.

Sky Sport NRL commentator Beaven Dewar joined Piney to speculate ahead of the match.

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The Springboks have made some improvements from test one and beat out the All Blacks in Cape Town, levelling the series one-all.

Newstalk ZB Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith and NZ Herald rugby writer Gregor Paul joined Piney to discuss what changed this time round.

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The All Blacks admit they'll need to adjust to Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus' improvements from test one after the series was levelled 1-all in Cape Town.

South Africa's 33-26 win featured resolute defence and superb kicking off the tee from Cheslin Kolbe, who had 18 points.

All Blacks assistant coach Tana Umaga joined Piney to explain how the Springboks improved.

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In this episode of the 100 Years of ZB Podcast, Mike Hosking takes you how Newstalk ZB brought you all the action and emotions from our sporting heroes. 

It covers the iconic moments from rugby, cricket, the Olympics, rugby league, football, motorsport, netball and many others. 

Mike takes you through how ZB covered the sporting moments that stopped a nation - like the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

You'll also hear the big sporting names ZB spoke to over years. 

100 Years of ZB - Celebrating a century of New Zealand's conversation. Archival audio from the collections at Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.  

New episodes every Sunday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts - powered by Newstalk ZB. 

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New Zealand are Over-60s World Cricket champions after the just-completed World Cup in Canada.

The final against England was washed out, meaning the two teams shared the title, but New Zealand were the only unbeaten team among the 14 nations at the tournament.

And leading them was Nelson-based Mason Robinson, who has been named tournament MVP after scoring 370 runs at an average of more than 84.

That included an unbeaten century against the United States, three fifties, and a string of highly consistent performances throughout the tournament.

He also took five catches and effected four stumpings as the side's wicketkeeper, and he joined Piney to reflect on the team's success.

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The Warriors are flying to the finish of the NRL season. 

They're currently sitting second on the ladder and have a genuine shot at taking home a minor premiership crown - something they haven't achieved since 2002. 

Logan Swann was a Warrior at the time, and told Piney it was such a good achievement for them, and he can only imagine how the current team is feeling at this point.  

He says taking home the minor premiership is so good for the fans, good for the country, and good for the game of rugby league. 

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As the Greatest Rivalry Tour continues, Piney looks back on previous All Blacks tours of South Africa. 

All Blacks legend Bill Osborne was only 21 years old during the 1976 tour, in which he played in two test matches off the bench. 

Apartheid was still in place at the time of the tour, and Osborne told Piney he was pretty naive about it, but made an effort to visit communities and form new thoughts about it. 

He says initially his overriding thoughts were about representing the All Blacks jersey and making it even greater, but politics couldn't be ignored, and they learned a lot about humanity. 

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The All Blacks are on a roll as Rugby's Greatest Rivalry moves to Cape Town. 

The Springboks will be out for revenge after the All Blacks claimed victory last weekend at Ellis Park, but the Kiwi side will be hoping for a repeat performance. 

Former Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer told Piney that it was one of the strangest games he's ever seen, as it felt like South Africa was in control right up until the last twenty minutes. 

He says the All Blacks had had three games prior to improve as a team, and the Springboks didn't have that time. 

"The All Blacks were just so much sharper, so much more battle-ready." 

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James McOnie from the Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the All Blacks, Westlake v Rosmini, the Black Ferns, and the Warriors.

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Formula One driver Liam Lawson has qualified in 8th place for tomorrow morning's Dutch Grand Prix, and will start on the grid beside Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen.

Lawson had earlier finished 11th in the Sprint Race at Zandvoort, won by the Mercedes of George Russell.

NZ Herald sports journo Alex Powell joined Piney to discuss.

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Kiwi mixed martial artist Carlos Ulberg has teamed up with Six60 and Mānuka Phuel as part of a new giveaway.

Eight Kiwi fans will be flown to Baltimore to watch the All Blacks play against the Springboks from a private suite, get VIP access to Six60's Baltimore show and take part in a private training experience with Carlos Ulberg.

Carlos Ulberg joined Piney to discuss the competition further - learn more about it here. 

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Coach Andrew Webster's lauding the Warriors' stay in the fight attitude, overcoming the Rabbitohs 45-26 in Sydney to move top of the NRL ladder.

The Rabbitohs bounced back from a 24-point second half deficit, coming within a converted try of the Kiwi side - with less than 20 minutes to play.

Webster's impressed with how his men kept their heads, scoring two late tries, topped off with a last-second field goal - and he joined Piney to recap the win.

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A series lead to savour for the All Blacks.

They’ll head to Cape Town - although a dance with the Lions awaits first - with a 1-nil advantage in the test series against South Africa.

The 33-16 win over the Springboks is New Zealand’s biggest at Ellis Park.

Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith joined Piney to recap the action.

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All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan has explained what went wrong in the scrums in the first half of the 33-16 victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park.

The New Zealand scrum was getting dominated until the reserve front row of George Bower, Asafo Aumua and Fletcher Newell came on.

Ryan says the South African pack got the hit on them early.

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That was - without doubt - one of the great All Blacks performances in recent times.

The best since the last Rugby World Cup for sure, and probably the best since our win over Ireland in the 2023 quarter-final - it was well worth the early alarm.

Resilience and grit in equal measure, a triumph of soaking up pressure, taking some hits, and refusing to buckle, let alone break.

The 15 minutes after half-time may well be one of the most significant periods of All Blacks rugby in this entire World Cup cycle. They were absorbing pressure, withstanding wave after wave of attack and emerging unscathed.

South Africa average 5.5 points every time they enter the opposition 22; today it was 0.9 points. That is an absolute triumph of taking punches and staying in the fight.

Fabian Holland was immense. Remember he didn't play any rugby at all between the 23rd of November and the 24th of July - eight months out of the game with that shoulder injury, 80 Herculean minutes from him today on the high veldt.

Jordie Barrett is fast becoming the All Blacks' most important player. Two massive pieces of defence to deny Malcolm Marx and Jasper Wiese - he made 15 tackles all up, more than any other player on either side, and effected 5 turnovers, also a game-high. Jordie is now the rock upon which the All Blacks backline is built.

And the impact the All Blacks got from their front row reserves is also worth mentioning - George Bower and Fletcher Newell had really influential shifts today.

When David Kirk announced a coaching change at the start of the year, he talked about trajectory - at that time, it was a downward trajectory, or at best a plateau.

Since Dave Rennie took over, it has been trending upwards, and today it spiked skywards. He's transformed this team since taking charge, and has them back on track for next year's World Cup

Seven 7 wins from seven, with obvious, intentional, noticeable, crucial improvements during that time - Dave Rennie has now coached internationally against South Africa five times and won four of them.

Rugby Australia's decision to get rid of him in favour of Eddie Jones may well go down as one of the all-time great fumbles in rugby history.

A word on referee Matthew Carley; we're quick to criticise referees, but he was excellent. He remained calm and composed in that cauldron, and over-ruled the TMO twice. You love to see it, more of that please - referees who trust their instincts.

The respect South African crowds show the haka tells you an awful lot about them. Rassie Erasmus even took to social media ahead of the game to ask his nation's fans to stay silent during the haka, and they did.

While English and Australian supporters try to drown it out with Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Waltzing Matilda, the silence around that magnificent arena during the haka shows you why this rivalry is indeed the greatest one.

There is massive mutual respect between these two teams and their fans, who love their rugby, but can absolutely appreciate the greatness of the other and the history that has led us to this point

I said yesterday that we were about to find out how far apart the All Blacks and the Springboks are. On that evidence, the answer is not very far apart at all

And yes, there are work-ons for the All Blacks; 14 penalties conceded is too many, they still had a few problems with the aerial ball and South Africa will come back with a vengeance in Cape Town. But for today - for right now - enjoy it.

Because that display has most certainly pumped a fair degree of positivity into the veins of even the most pessimistic of All Blacks fans.

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The AFL community has been rocked by sexual assault allegations involving five Sydney Swans players. 

Victoria Police are investigating the incident, and the players have been stood down by the club for the remainder of the season. 

Australian Correspondent Adam Peacock outlined what has been happening and the fallout the situation has caused. 

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For the last time —on this show anyway— we can talk about this test series as a future event. 

The next month is a blank page, stretching before us with storylines just waiting to be written. 

In all honesty, up until now, all we've been really doing is having a guess. An educated guess, based on history, analysis, reading, and listening to the respective coaches and players... 

But a guess nonetheless. 

We're now going to have some context. Next week we can talk about test two with the context of test one, and so on. 

We're going to find out over the next four weeks how far apart South Africa and the All Blacks are, with 13 months to go until the Rugby World Cup. 

Three specific areas the All Blacks will have to be particularly good in to repel what the Springboks will throw at them tonight: 

One: The scrum. 

South Africa scrum for penalties, and they do it very, very well – better than anyone in the world. Our scrum must be solid, legitimate, and competitive. 

Having Tyrel Lomax there is a huge boost because the Springboks will look to assert dominance as soon as they possibly can – on their feed or ours. So keep an eye on the first scrum or two. 

Two: Maul defence. 

If South Africa get the aforementioned scrum penalties, or any penalties, they will, without question, kick for the corners and set up a lineout drive. It really is one of the hardest things to defend in rugby because there are so many moving parts.  

Jason Ryan and Co. will have prepared the NZ forwards for what’s coming, but knowing it’s coming and doing something about it are very different things. 

The key really is to limit those penalties in the first place – don’t let South Africa get themselves into the position to test us close to our line in the first place. 

So discipline and limiting penalties becomes super important. 

Three: The aerial assault. 

It's coming, there's no doubt about it. Josh Moorby, Will Jordan, and Damian McKenzie will need to be ready to defuse those Ellis Park bombs. 

I must admit I do worry a little bit about Damian McKenzie's ankle injury – if he comes down awkwardly from fielding one of those high kicks, that might be a problem. But you have to assume he's good to go. 

The aerial game has been a major area of focus for the All Blacks this year, and while they still haven’t absolutely nailed it, there has been improvement. And there’ll need to be more. 

This South African team is formidable. Utterly formidable. 

I felt pretty good about the All Blacks' chances until I saw the South African team unveiled on Thursday night. They are a genuine heavyweight side. Number one in the world for a reason. 

What a lineup: Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth, and Pieter-Steph du Toit in the forward pack. Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, and Damian Willemse in a star-studded backline. 

They are favourites, and rightly so. 

But we're good too. 

Slowly but surely, Dave Rennie has built the All Blacks into a side capable of going into the Lion's Den and emerging intact. 

We're not going to win the series 4-nil, but this group can build the belief that on any given day, they can beat South Africa. 

And in just over a year from now, that's all the All Blacks will need to do at the Rugby World Cup. They’ll only need to beat the Springboks once. 

And one of the keys to that will be believing that they can, and that all starts in just under 15 hours from now. 

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The wait is nearly over, the All Blacks just one sleep away from their first clash with the Springboks. 

They've sailed through their first three matches of the tour, and are now going head-to-head with the World Champions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. 

Piney caught up with the first All Blacks captain to lead a series winning tour to South Africa, Sean Fitzpatrick. 

He told Piney the Springboks are very physical and very strong, and you have to be able to compete with that. 

But one of the pleasing things Fitzpatrick says he's seen in the All Blacks' first three games, is that they are quite physical now. 

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Anticipation is palpable on the eve of the first clash between the All Blacks and Springboks. 

The All Blacks have won their three tour matches so far, but the stakes are significantly higher when they face the current World Champions tomorrow morning at Ellis Park. 

To get a South African perspective, Piney caught up with former Springboks Captain Bob Skinstad, who told him that if any team could knock them off their pedestal, it's this New Zealand side. 

He says Dave Rennie has brought back the brutality of the All Blacks. 

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This week, James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the Warriors beating out the Broncos and the All Blacks' continued success in South Africa.

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Duane Kale is regarded as one of New Zealand's most successful Paralympic athletes.

He won four golds, a silver and a bronze medal in the pool at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Kale joined Piney to reflect on this success.

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The financial vulnerability of New Zealand's five Super Rugby clubs has been outlined in a new report by Deloitte.

The reports claimed  all five clubs were cumulatively unprofitable across the last six years, with the Hurricanes posting two net losses of over $1 million.

Hurricanes co-owner Malcolm Gillies joined Piney to examine the report's findings.

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The Warriors have solidified third position with three regular season matches to play in league's NRL.

They've sealed a commanding 40 to 6 victory over the Broncos in Brisbane.

Former Warrior Kevin Campion joined Piney to recap the action and unpack the team's chances at the Grand Final.

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Assistant coach Neil Barnes is pleased with the All Blacks' development over their three games against South African club sides.

The 50-19 win over the Bulls in Pretoria follows victories over the Stormers and Sharks.

Barnes says they've come a long way, but want more - and he joined Piney to discuss ahead of next weekend's big clash.

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The Snow League is gearing up to bring the world's top halfpipe snowboarders and free-skiers to New Zealand next month, with an elite international field headlined by a strong contingent of Kiwis competing on their home snow. 

Season Two will begin with the inaugural Snow League World Challenge at Cardrona, a first-of-its-kind international event. 

The event will feature 16 athletes representing four teams: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Challengers with each team represented by one male and female snowboarder alongside one male and female freeski athlete. 

Luke Harrold is one of the most exciting young stars of New Zealand freeskiing, and is competing with the Asia-Pacific team. 

He joined Piney to chat about competing in the Snow League. 

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The NZ Darts Masters has returned to Auckland. 

Some of the biggest names in the world are competing at Spark Arena over the weekend. 

Darts’ popularity has risen dramatically over the years, and it’s now one of the premier events on the sporting calendar. 

PDC CEO Matthew Porter joined Piney to delve into what makes the sport so popular. 

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As the All Blacks continue their first tour of South Africa in over 30 years, Piney looks back on some of the classics. 

Ian Kirkpatrick played 113 times for the New Zealand side, including 39 tests and a two year run as captain. 

He toured South Africa twice as a player, once in 1970 and then again in 1976 – playing all four tests on both tours. 

He joined Piney to reflect on some of the moments he remembers from those times. 

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The New Zealand Netball Players Association has slammed Netball New Zealand for how slow the process has been over the future of a domestic competition. 

NZNPA General Manager Pippa Moore says players are anxious and concerned with how long the process has been taking to finalise a new competition. 

With the window opening for new players to sign contracts in Australia from next week, Moore expects more players to head offshore. 

She told Piney they needed to know weeks or even months ago what was going to happen. 

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The financial vulnerability of New Zealand’s five Super Rugby clubs has been laid bare in a new report. 

Deloitte’s ‘Building the Competition the Game Needs’, created in conjunction with the executive teams of each club, explores the issues with the game’s current model. 

The report highlights that each franchise has reported at least one annual net loss since 2019. 

NZ Rugby CEO Steve Lancaster told Piney they don’t deny that it’s difficult for the Super clubs to make a profit, but they do continue to see them as being attractive to private investors. 

He says they’re not concerned about the competition, and are very focused on strengthening it and ensuring it’s still here in another 30 years' time.  

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Jennah Wootten has officially begun her tenure as CEO of Netball NZ, taking over the role at a crucial time for the sport. 

She’s entering the job with extensive experience in New Zealand sport and major events, including leading Aktive, the World Masters Games, and holding senior roles with Sport NZ and the 2011 Rugby World Cup. 

But there’s no shortage of issues waiting for her – including the future of the country’s domestic competition.  

She told Piney the ANZ Premiership is a hugely important part of the high-performance system for netball, and challenges have been building over time. 

But, Wootten says, work is underway to find a long-term solution they know will be financially sustainable for the future. 

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The Wellington Saints will take on the Southland Sharks at ILT Stadium in Invercargill.

Newstalk ZB sports commentator Nick Bewley joined Piney to discuss the grand final. 

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This week, James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to recap the start of the All Blacks' South Africa tour, with the team's victory over the Stormers.

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Newstalk ZB celebrates 100 years today, and veteran sports broadcaster Murray Deaker's been a key part of that history for decades.

For more than 30 years, Murray Deaker's been inspiring debate and discussion, breaking big sports stories, and been interacting with some of the biggest names in Kiwi sport.

He joined Piney to look back on some career highlights to mark the occasion.

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Dame Lisa Carrington has made New Zealand sporting history as an eight-time gold medallist, but she's acknowledged the journey that led to her sporting success.

She's still got her heart set on continuing her canoeing hot streak at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, even with a baby on the way due for September. 

She joined Piney to look back on her athletic career and sporting legacy.

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Otago and Canterbury are set to face off for the Ranfurly Shield at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

Otago won the shield off Canterbury in September last year.

Otago lock Will Stodart joined Piney to discuss the action.

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Rugby is known for its physicality and heavy collisions and former All Blacks captain Sam Cane is advocating for some new safety measures.

He’s joined Helen Tufui, founder of the Headache Clinic, as an ambassador for Hit Kit, a rapid response concussion kit designed to help athletes, coaches, parents and sporting organisations respond quickly and confidently after a head knock.

Sam Cane joined Piney to explain further.

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It’s been a turbulent year for Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker. 

After his loss to Fabio Wardley in London last October, Parker was provisionally suspended after returning a positive drug test. 

This week, the UK’s Anti-Doping Agency lifted that suspension, clearing him to return to the ring. 

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn joined Piney to discuss where Parker sits in the heavyweight hierarchy following his return. 

He also weighs in on the unbeaten Australian up-and-comer Teremoana Teremoana, who headlines in Australia next week against fellow knockout artist DeAndre Savage. 

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The Warriors have strengthened their push for a top two finish with an impressive win over the Panthers.  

The third-placed Warriors pulled out to a 22-nil lead before their opponents threatened to make a late charge before ultimately going down 28-12 at Mt Smart. 

Assistant Coach Slade Griffin joined Piney to discuss their performance, praising his side’s physicality and the impact of the pre-match haka led by James Fisher-Harris, which helped set the tone for a memorable night. 

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The Warriors have sent another warning to the rest of the NRL with their 28-12 win over Penrith. 

Former Panthers star Ryan Girdler was at Mt Smart for the clash, and says seeing the atmosphere in person reinforces how dangerous the team could be if they secure a home final. 

He joined Piney to review the Warriors’ dominant performance, Luke Metcalf's impressive return, and the rapid rise of exciting young forward Leka Halasima. 

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A shaky first outing for the All Blacks to open their tour of South Africa, the team needed a late surge to secure the win in Cape Town. 

The match was locked at 14-all before the All Blacks scored four tries in the final 15 minutes against the Stormers. 

Assistant Coach Mike Blair told Piney they’re pleased to get the win, but there’s plenty to work on as well. 

He says they loved the resilience the team had, but they’re frustrated at a few of the missed opportunities they could’ve made on other days. 

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This week, James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to recap the continuing action from the Commonwealth Games.

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The Silver Ferns are confident they can snap their 16-year Commonwealth Games title drought.

New Zealand hasn't won netball gold since the 2010 Delhi Games, but are into the Glasgow final against Jamaica - starting at midnight tonight.

Former Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering joined Piney to preview the upcoming match.

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Former Kiwi tennis star Marcus Daniell has moved away from the court and into helping athletes connect with charities.

Marcus is ​​the​​ executive director at High Impact Athletes, a non-profit organisation that he co-founded with fellow Olympian Hugo Inglis - which connects athletes with charities focused on global health, poverty, animal welfare and climate change. 

He joined Piney to explain further.

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The entirety of the All Blacks squad - minus Ardie Savea - have now arrived in Cape Town and they've been welcomed into the fortress they'll play at twice on the Greatest Rivalry tour.

A public event was held at DHL Stadium, with around 5000 fans watching on.

It's a city where the All Blacks have traditionally had strong support and they'll face the Stormers there next weekend as well as play the second test there.

South African rugby writer Brendan Nel joined Piney to discuss ahead of next week's game.

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Pedro Moreira won't be completely overhauling Auckland FC, as he begins his reign as the team's head coach.

The new gaffer believes bringing his Portuguese style and adding it to the club's already championship-winning ways will drive continued successes in the men's A-League.

Moreira joined Piney to explain further.

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The Warriors have maintained 3rd place on the NRL table after a 42-6 blitzing of the Titans on the Gold Coast.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster was especially pleased former Titans Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Erin Clark, especially when Clark put a deft kick to Khan-Pereira who set up Leka Halasima to score.

Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad joined Piney to recap the action.

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The New Zealand Darts Masters is just around the corner. 

It’ll bring the biggest names to our shores to compete against our best local talent. 

One of those names is World Championship finalist Gian van Veen, who told Piney there’s definitely danger in the matches, as they’ve seen in the past that there’s are a lot of good players in our corner of the world. 

He says it’s also a good opportunity for local players to show the world what they’re capable of. 

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Golden redemption for Eliza McCartney in the Women's pole vault at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  

She's taking home her first major championship win after beating Australian favourite Nina Kennedy on count back after clearing 4 metres 65 in cold weather. 

Athletics commentator and former Olympian Sarah Cowley-Ross told Piney it was so wonderful to see Eliza on top of the podium after such a long journey in the pole vault. 

She thinks McCartney’s entering the championships injury-free for the first time in a long time, and it really shows.  

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English cricket can't get enough of New Zealand coaches. 

Former Black Cap Stephen Fleming has been confirmed as the country's new test mentor, replacing former teammate Brendon McCullum. 

Cricket writer Cameron Ponsonby told Piney while they’ve gotten used to having the big kind of celebrity personality of McCullum over the last few years, it seems as though everyone wants things to calm down a bit. 

“It feels like an adult’s been hired.” 

He says it helps that the two know each other, as it feels like the ex-girlfriend is still in the room, with McCullum coaching the white-ball squad.  

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Steven Adams has forged out an NBA career that has spanned longer than a decade, which has seen him contribute to some of the NBAs best teams, and is widely regarded as one of the strongest players in the league. 

He's back in New Zealand for his offseason, where he's partnered with the One NZ Warriors to launch a nationwide fundraising campaign aimed at giving more Kiwi kids the opportunity to participate in sport. 

Adams told Piney their similar interests was behind their decision to partner with the Warriors. 

“Just trying to help out the youth, starting from grassroots, and just, yeah, supporting as many kids as possible.” 

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In the last hour, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has issued a statement on his proposal to sell off a section of FIFA tournaments, including World Cups, to private investors. 

When his plan came to light in the last few days, it was met with major opposition from all parts of the football family. 

UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation all voiced their official opposition to it in very strong terms, threatening to boycott future World Cups unless the scheme was abandoned 

Senior officials at FIFA, including Infantino's senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro, have quit in protest of both the idea itself, and the unilateral way in which it has been pulled together, without any form of consultation at all. 

And the idea is now dead in the water. 

The statement from the FIFA President reads as follows: 

"The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed. 

“And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA Member Associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA Council, the Confederations and wider stakeholders. 

“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place. 

“Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve. 

“As a result, this proposal will not proceed. 

“Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support." 

This is an enforced back-down of staggering, unprecedented proportions and a misjudgement of the highest order from Gianni Infantino, which has led to an utter humiliation for him. 

During his time in the FIFA presidency, Infantino has become more and more detached from reality, to the point where he thought he was some all-powerful head of the global game and could do whatever he liked without any regard, let alone any discussion, with anyone else. 

His arrogance and levels of delusion have become breath-taking. 

The game is not Gianni Infantino's to sell. It is not anyone's to sell. 

Those in the corridors of power at FIFA are merely guardians of the game, not the owners of any part of it. FIFA exists to administer the game and to ensure its development in all parts of the world. 

But somewhere along the line, Gianni Infantino has fallen under the severe misapprehension that he is somehow bigger than the game itself. 

He's not. 

And this may well mark the beginning of the end for a man who has become deeply unpopular as the game's supposed global leader. 

Anyone with a shred of dignity or self-awareness would now resign, but Infantino has neither, and so he won't. 

Our good friend on the show, Seb Stafford-Bloor wrote today in The Athletic that this is Gianni Infantino’s Icarus moment.  

The FIFA president has finally flown too close to the sun and the consequences for him may well, and should, be swift and severe. 

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James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the start of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the next steps for some All Whites after the FIFA World Cup and Ryan Fox's Open Championship victory.

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Kiwi race driver Liam Sceats has recently been having success in Asia - following his earlier experience in the US.

He joined Piney to discuss the last few months, and what's next with Lamborghini Asia endurance racing. 

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The All Blacks have wrapped up their Nations Championship fixtures with three victories, but their next challenge looms.

Their tour of South Africa is on the horizon, with coach Dave Rennie set to name his 44-man squad next week.

Rugby Pass journalist Ben Smith and former Springbok Kevin Putt joined Piney to outline their preidctions.

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Warriors coach Andrew Webster has been blindsided by an 18-6 NRL defeat to the Bulldogs in Sydney.

The visiting outfit were shutout in the first half, and scored their only try through Chanel Harris-Tavita as a consolation in the 74th minute.

NZ Herald sports journalist Michael Burgess joined Piney to discuss the loss.

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A-League Men champions Auckland FC are set to face English Premier League side  Tottenham Hotspur at Eden Park this afternoon.

Both squads feature players who were involved in the FIFA World Cup, including some All Whites for the Kiwi side. 

New Auckland FC signing Aaron Calver joined Piney to discuss.

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