Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand skier Alice Robinson has to finish at least second in the final race of the season to have any chance of claiming the overall super-G title, after placing fourth in the penultimate round in Val di Fassa.

Robinson closed the gap on series leader Sofia Goggia but it will be a big ask to usurp the Italian at the finals in Norway on the 22nd March.

Goggia, who finished ninth in Italy on Monday morning, leads Robinson by 63 points in the race to the World Cup super-G title.

Robinson, now the only other woman who can win the super-G title, was joint fourth. Italian Elena Curtoni won her home event.

German skier Emma Aicher failed to score, leaving her 145 points behind Goggia and out of super-G title contention.

Robinson, who finished eighth at last month’s Milano Cortina Olympics, said she will throw everything at the final event.

“It was not as hard as I was expecting [today], so I could have maybe pushed a little bit harder. We’ve got one more race so I am happy to give that everything but it’s a little bit frustrating,” Robinson said.

Meanwhile, US Alpine ski great Mikaela Shiffrin boosted her overall World Cup lead with a rare super-G appearance as closest rival Aicher did not finish.

Shiffrin, who is hoping to end the season with a sixth overall Crystal Globe, finished 23rd but the eight points stretched her lead over Aicher to 125 with six races remaining across all disciplines.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/nz-skier-alice-robinson-in-two-way-battle-for-super-g-title/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Despite its dominance of last month’s Halberg Awards, athletics looms as a possible weak link in a bid to host the 2034 Commonwealth Games.

Track and field holds pride of place in past New Zealand success at the Games, producing 136 medals, including 37 gold – both more than any other sport – since they were first held at Hamilton, Ontario, in 1930.

High jumper Hamish Kerr has helped spark a resurgence in the sport over recent years, capturing Halberg Supreme honours for his 2025 world championship victory, which followed previous success at Commonwealth Games, world indoor championships and the Paris Olympics.

It currently boasts world class performers in a wide variety of events, but Athletics NZ chief executive Cam Mitchell fears the lack of a suitable venue makes his sport an “Achilles heel”, as New Zealand prepares its case to stage the Commonwealth Games in eight years.

“One of the big challenges we have is facilities,” Mitchell told RNZ. “None of our facilities are optimal.”

New Zealand has hosted the Games three times at Auckland 1950, Christchurch 1974 and Auckland 1990. None of the athletics venues at those events are still used for that purpose.

Eden Park has since become the nation’s premier rugby site, QE2 Stadium was destroyed by the 2011 earthquake, while Mt Smart Stadium has become home for NZ Warriors and Auckland FC, with athletics relegated to what was previously the warm-up track.

“That’s a challenge around facilities that we’re working with government on,” Mitchell said. “If New Zealand wants to host the Commonwealth Games and be serious about that bid, athletics is our Achilles heel, because there’s no facility.

“We need to build a national home for athletics.”

Over the weekend, the national championships were staged at Auckland’s Trusts Stadium, which also hosted games during the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

It already has a giant grandstand down the homestraight, which was packed for Saturday’s ‘Track Stars’ showcase, but would need further work to meet Commonwealth Games spectator standards.

“It definitely resonates,” Kerr told RNZ last week. “If you look at the tracks around New Zealand, we’ve got some real world-class tracks – the surfaces, the way they’re designed and the way they’re built – but they haven’t been built with spectators in mind or high-level competitions.

“I think it will be interesting to see how Trusts Stadium works on the weekend for the nationals, because it has a good embankment and a decent-sized stand.

“As an athletics fan, the thing I’ve been a little bit disappointed with is, when there has been talk about new stadiums within the country, often they’re made to dimensions that wouldn’t accommodate a track.

“Christchurch’s new stadium is a perfect example of that.”

In recent years, the Commonwealth Games have barely survived the increased costs of staging them.

Durban, South Africa, was originally awarded the 2022 Games, but struggled for finance and was eventually replaced by Birmingham, England, which moved its hosting agreement up four years to accommodate.

Bids from Kuala Lumpur, Cardiff, Calgary, Edmonton and Adelaide for 2026 were all withdrawn, also due to financial concerns.

In April 2022, the Australian state of Victoria agreed to host this year’s edition on a new regional model, with venues spread across its catchment at Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, rather than centred on Melbourne.

Fifteen months later, the state government terminated its host agreement. Gold Coast, London, Malaysia, Singapore and the Ghanaian capital of Accra considered stepping in, but ultimately, all declined.

As a last resort, Glasgow agreed to a reduced programme using venues from the 2014 Games.

The 2030 Games have already been awarded to Ahmedabad, India, while New Zealand has indicated interest in 2034, probably adopting the regional model.

“Commonwealth Sport will put out their timelines, which we expect will be 2027, for feasibilities, presentations and proposals to go through to them,” NZ Olympic Committee chief executive Nicki Nicol told RNZ.

“We’ve done some pre-feasibilities. and will wait to do the next round of feasibility over the next 12 months or so. It’s a bit of awaiting game still, but we’re really conscious that athletics is caught in the programme.

“We do know that Sport NZ have an infrastructure review, so everyone’s aware that we want world-class facilities to keep producing amazing athletes.

“2034 is still a while away, but there are certainly options in New Zealand to retrofit existing facilities, so we can hold the Commonwealth Games and have athletics as part of that programme.”

Nicol agreed that Trusts Stadium was probably a frontrunner.

“I’m not a geo-tech engineer, but we do expect that would be a minimum standard that we could operate a Games at,” she said.

“We could use temporary seating, because at the end of the day, we have to make sure we’ve got surfaces and conditions for the athletes to perform at that elite level.

“We look forward to working with government over the coming months.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/concern-over-suitable-athletics-venue-for-2034-nz-commonwealth-games-hosting-bid/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Defending champions India have thumped the Black Caps by 96 runs in this morning’s T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

Batting first, the co-hosts posted a big total of 255 for 5 and despite a half-century from opener Tim Seifert, New Zealand couldn’t keep up with the required run rate, eventually all out for 159.

Captain Mitchell Santner scored 43 runs at the back of the innings but it was never going to be enough.

Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets for India who become the first team in history to win back to back men’s T20 World Cup titles. It’s also India’s biggest win in a T20 World Cup match.

Jimmy Neesham was the best of the Black Caps bowlers with three wickets.

India batter Sanju Samson top scored with 89 runs with fellow opener Abhishek Sharma and No.3 Ishan Kishan both scoring half centuries.

The Black Caps beat South Africa to reach the final, with India beating England in the second semi-final.

As it happened:

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/black-caps-suffer-heavy-defeat-as-defending-champions-india-win-t20-world-cup/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the T20 World Cup final action as the Black Caps take on India at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The Black Caps are coming off the back of a stunning win over South Africa, in which Finn Allen hit the fastest century in T20 World Cup history.

Meanwhile, defending champions India staved off Jacob Bethell’s brilliant hundred to beat England by seven runs in a thrilling semi-final.

First ball is at 2.30am NZT.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/live-cricket-black-caps-v-india-t20-world-cup-final/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Central Stags pace bowler Brett Randell has achieved a cricketing rarity, taking five wickets in consecutive balls, which has been described a “triple hat-trick”.

New Zealand Cricket statistician Francis Payne said Randell becomes the first player in first class cricket history to take five wickets in five balls – and the first to take six wickets in eight balls. His deed of seven wickets in 12 balls has been bettered just once.

The 30-year-old’s feat came in the Stags’ Plunket Shield match today against Northern Districts at McLean Park in Napier.

He eventually finished with seven for 25, which is the second best in Central Districts history, betterd only by left arm spinner Bryan Yuile’s nine for 100 in 1966.

“I’m pretty blown away,” Randell told the NZC website.

“The high was pretty crazy, it was like a pinch-me moment.

“I was trying to stay level-headed and keep putting the ball in the same area and then after the actual hat-trick, just the same things – trying to put the ball in the same area.

“It gets drummed into us a lot that we don’t want to go searching for wickets, so I was trying to just keep bowling the same ball, and our “Plan A” that we’d talked about, and it came off.

“I had no idea that it was the first time it [five wicket in five balls in first-class cricket] had happened in the world, it’s seriously cool. I mean, I don’t really have any words at the moment, to be honest. I’ll take it.”

The Stags had scored 373 in their first innings and thanks to Randell dismissed Northern for just 82. Central enforced the follow-on and at stumps in their second innings Northern were five for 152, with Randell this time wicketless.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/08/five-wickets-in-five-balls-central-stags-bowler-achieves-a-world-first/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kiwi driver Liam Lawson has finished 13th in Formula One’s Australian Grand Prix, after a disastrous start in a race, won by Briton George Russell.

Italian Kimi Antonelli completed a Mercedes quinella in the F1 season-opener, while Charles Leclerc of Montenegro finished third, with Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen next in that order.

In an often chaotic race at Melbourne’s Albert Park, any advantage Lawson had by claiming eighth place on the grid dissipated at the start.

He dropped back to 18th, as he complained on the Racing Bulls team radio of mechanical issues.

“What is my battery doing?,” he exclaimed.

He was able to climb to 13th place, helped by withdrawals during the race, finishing a lap behind Russell.

Before the race, Australian Oscar Piastri crashed on a reconnaisance lap. While not injured, his McLaren was too damaged to take part in the race.

Lawson’s Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad finished eighth in his F1 debut.

After dominating qualifying, pole-sitter Russell’s first win at Albert Park underlined Mercedes’ promising pre-season form.

The Briton finished nearly three seconds ahead of Antonelli, with Leclerc more than 15 seconds behind on a cloudy afternoon at the lakeside circuit.

Russell engaged in a thrilling early duel with Leclerc, as the racers swapped the lead seven times in the opening nine laps, but Mercedes soon put daylight on the rest.

After swapping out medium tyres early, following a virtual safety-car deployment, Russell rode the hard compounds for 45 laps and Mercedes’ pace did the rest.

“Great job everybody, it’s been a long time since we’ve been here,” he said over the team radio.

McLaren had a tough day, with Piastri’s race over before it began some 40 minutes before the start.

Teammate and defending champion Norris finished fifth, one place behind seven-time world champion Hamilton of Ferrari.

Only 20 of the 22 cars started, with Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg scratched just before the race, due to a reliability problem.

Another three cars failed to finish, Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar among them.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/08/f1-brit-george-russell-wins-australian-grand-prix-kiwi-liam-lawson-13th/

Source: Radio New Zealand

The White Ferns take on tourists Zimbabwe in the second ODI of the three-match series in Dunedin on Sunday.

New Zealand can clinch the series with a win after their 180-run triumph in the opener on Thursday.

First ball is bowled at 11am.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/08/live-white-ferns-v-zimbabwe-second-odi/

Source: Radio New Zealand

The White Ferns all-time leading ODI wicket-taker Lea Tahuhu has announced her retirement from one-day international cricket.

She will continue to be available for selection in the T20 format.

Tahuhu has consistently been ranked inside the world’s top ten ODI bowlers and is one of just 12 players to have played more than 100 ODIs for New Zealand.

She also featured at four World Cups.

Tahuhu said the time was right to step down from the ODI format.

“To get one game was an amazing feeling. To have been able to wear the shirt and represent my country and my family over 100 times in ODI cricket is something I never could have dreamt of.

“I’ll treasure every moment and walk away from the ODI game incredibly proud of what I’ve been able to achieve in the format.”

Tahuhu made what was her final ODI appearance for New Zealand against England at the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India.

Selectors have announced she is part of the squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.

Lea Tahuhu stats

• ODI debut – June 14, 2011 – Rose Bowl Series v Australia in Brisbane
• White Ferns all-time leading ODI wicket-taker – 125 wickets
• 103 ODI matches (one of just 12 players to play 100 ODIs for the WHITE FERNS)
• Named in the 2023 ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year
• Four ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup tournament appearances (2013, 2017, 2022, 2025)

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/08/white-ferns-bowler-lea-tahuhu-calls-time-on-odi-career/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Four-time Paralympic medalist Corey Peters has finished out of the medals in the men’s downhill sitting in his first Winter Paralympic Games event at Milano Cortina.

The 42-year-old Kiwi was unable to defend the title he won in Beijing in 2022.

Peters made a couple of costly errors but twice managed to make a miraculous recovery to stay upright and record a time of 1:20.89.

“I feel disappointed. We work pretty hard over a number of years, and a lot of dedication and sacrifice goes into it. Unfortunately, conditions did not really gel with me today and I didn’t adapt,” Peters said, who was second out of the start gate.

“Fifth was definitely not what I was looking for with downhill being one of my better events.”

Norwegian Jesper Pedersen, the silver medallist from four years ago, produced a slick run down the Olimpia delle Tofane to register 1:18.14 to strike gold.

Niels de Langen of the Netherlands claimed silver – some 1.10 further back – with Canada’s Kurt Oatway filling the final podium spot in bronze (1:19.42).

Competing in warm temperatures of around 9C and softening snow conditions, 11 of the field of 23 registered DNF’s including Dutchman Jeroen Kampschreur, the quickest man in both training runs.

Peters continues his quest at the Milano Cortina Games when he competes in the Men’s Super-G Sitting on Monday.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/08/new-zealands-corey-peters-5th-in-mens-downhill-sitting-at-paralympic-winter-games/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Rhonda Hira (Waikato Tainui, Ngāti Tipa) has long secured her place in New Zealand softball history.

A five-time world championship representative, Olympian and New Zealand player of the decade from 1997-2006, Hira is widely regarded as one of the greatest White Sox to wear the fern.

Now, she says former players like herself have a responsibility to be more visible and help guide the game forward.

Raised in Hawke’s Bay, before settling in Christchurch nearly 40 years ago, Hira’s softball journey began with a newspaper article she read as a kōtiro.

“I was only like eight at the time and I was reading an article about a women’s team going to the World Series in South America,” she told RNZ.

“I thought, ‘Oh, I’d love to do that myself’.”

That early spark turned into a near 20-year international career. Hira debuted for New Zealand in 1983 and went on to represent the White Sox at five world championships – Auckland in 1986, Normal, Illinois in 1990, St John’s in 1994, Fukushima in 1998 and Saskatoon in 2002.

She also reached what she describes as the pinnacle of any sporting career – the Olympic Games – where the White Sox placed sixth. At Sydney 2000, she was New Zealand’s top batter.

“To be in that realm with your own people is something to aspire to,” she said, reflecting on the strong Māori and Pasifika representation within the New Zealand team at those Games.

Her most memorable campaign was the 1990 world championship final – which was never played – against the United States. A single round-robin result meant New Zealand needed a near-perfect performance to claim gold.

The gold medal game was rained out, which led to the United States claiming gold for the highest round-robin standing. 

“One run cost us 10 runs to actually win the tournament,” she said. “That’s a memory in itself.”

According to the latest rankings from the World Baseball Softball Confederation, New Zealand’s women are currently ranked 23rd.

It marks a shift from the White Sox teams of Hira’s era, who were regular podium contenders. New Zealand won the world championship in 1982, and claimed bronze in 1986 and silver in 1990.

As recently as 2016, the side was ranked eighth globally.

Softball’s Olympic status has also shifted over time. The women’s game featured at the Olympic Games from 1996-2008, before returning at Tokyo 2020.

It will again appear at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with six teams to qualify through a series of global and continental tournaments. Host nation United States automatically secures one place.

Hira said, throughout her softball career, resources were limited. Programmes were handwritten on a single A4 sheet and training tools were improvised from household items.

“When I was making my way to being a White Sox, it was more of dedication to the sport and the commitment,” she said.

“We utilised a lot of resources we had in the home, like your can of spaghetti tied around a rope just to strengthen the wrists,” she laughed.

Today’s athletes had access to far more support, Hira said, but she believed the core principle had not changed.

“The real dedication is what you put into it is what you’ll get back.”

Softball in Aotearoa now has a membership base made up of about 60 percent Māori and Pasifika players. Hira said that connection wasn’t an accident.

“What draws our indigenous people to this game is that it’s community driven,” she said. “You don’t know until you actually play with somebody else that you think, ‘Oh, they’re from the same area. Why is that?’, so there’s that connection.”

She described softball as strategic, percentage-based and a whānau sport, where every player has a role to perform.

“It creates lifelong friendships. The camaraderie amongst those that have gone and those that are present is unbreakable.”

While proud of what her generation achieved, Hira said visibility from former internationals was crucial to the sport’s future.

“Players like myself need to be a little bit more visible, so these players are able to say, ‘Well, that’s so-and-so and she went to so-and-so’, and maybe can approach these players that have been there and done that.”

She believed the softball brand was strong enough to demand more recognition nationally and internationally.

“It’s a brand that can be marketed. It has that support not only within the community, but at a higher stage as well.”

With Olympic qualifiers and junior world events on the horizon, Hira’s message to the next generation was to work hard.

“The resources that are available to you, use them well. The coaches that you have believe in the game that they’re trying to get you to play.

“If it’s not working, park it. It’ll be something you can use when it actually does come to fruition.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/08/white-sox-great-and-olympian-rhonda-hira-calls-for-greater-recognition-of-softball/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kiwi pole vaulter Eliza McCartney has thrown down the gauntlet to fellow Kiwis Imogen Ayris and Olivia McTaggart in their internal battle for selection to the world indoor championships in Poland this month.

The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and 2024 world indoor silver medallist has cleared 4.81m to capture her seventh national title at Auckland’s Trusts Arena.

The performance sees her catapult to second in the world so far this year and, more importantly, puts her ahead of her training mates for the world championships, where New Zealand can only field two athletes in each event.

Two weeks ago, Ayris soared over 4.76m for third at an indoor meet in France, while McTaggart was over 4.70m to match McCartney’s outdoor mark at the Auckland championships that same weekend.

All three have reached the qualifying standard, but nations are limited to just two entries.

Ayris took bronze at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, while McTaggart won the prestigious London Diamond League meet last year.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/07/pole-vaulter-eliza-mccartney-stakes-claim-for-world-indoor-selection-with-national-title/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Super Rugby rivals Blues and Crusaders face off in the match of the round at Eden Park on Saturday.

Surprisingly, both sides have just one win each to their names, but the Crusaders carrying the form of a victory over the Chiefs last week.

Kickoff is at 7.05pm.

Blues: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Kurt Eklund 3. Marcel Renata 4. Josh Beehre 5. Sam Darry 6. Torian Barnes 7. Dalton Papali’i (c) 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Finlay Christie 10. Stephen Perofeta 11. Caleb Clarke 12. Pita Ahki 13. AJ Lam 14. Codemeru Vai 15. Zarn Sullivan

Bench: 16. James Mullan 17. Mason Tupaea 18. Sam Matenga 19. Che Clark 20. Anton Segner 21. Taufa Funaki 22. Beauden Barrett 23. Xavi Taele

Crusaders: 1. George Bower 2. Codie Taylor 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Antonio Shalfoon 5. Jamie Hannah 6. Dom Gardiner 7. Ethan Blackadder (VC) 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Noah Hotham 10. Rivez Reihana 11. Sevu Reece 12. David Havili (c) 13. Leicester Fainga’anuku 14. Chay Fihaki 15. Taha Kemara

Bench: 16. Manumaua Letiu 17. Finlay Brewis 18. Seb Calder 19. Will Tucker (Crusaders Debut) 20. Corey Kellow 21. Kyle Preston 22. Xavier Saifoloi 23. Dallas McLeod

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/07/live-super-rugby-pacific-blues-v-crusaders/

Source: Radio New Zealand

American Trevor Foley and Briton Kat Matthews have headed off strong fields to claim elite honours at the 42nd edition of IRONMAN New Zealand in Taupō.

Foley became the first United States man since Tim DeBoom to prevail in the men’s race, while Matthews justified her heavy pre-race favouritism, finishing well clear of her rivals.

Foley was rewarded for his late decision to come to New Zealand, following a heavy period of training in Florida, producing a breakthrough career performance.

Victory was based on his brilliant closing run, clocking 2h 35m 42s for the marathon distance, which was nearly five minutes faster than the previous best time for the course.

The 26-year-old claimed the lead about 10km from the finish, easing past Frenchman Pierre Le Corre, who finished second, 1m 43s back in his Ironman distance debut. American veteran Matt Hansen was third.

Foley’s overall winning time was 7h 46m 44s.

For the first time since 2008, no New Zealand men were on the podium.

The event was the first of the calendar year’s global pro series.

Matthews, who has topped the women’s pro series for the last two years, showed she’s ready to make it a hattrick with a dominant performance.

She was never threatened over the second half of the race to finish in 8h 28m 55s.

New Zealand’s Hannah Berry was nearly seven minutes back in second, while Dutchwoman Lotte Wilms was third.

All three women’s overall times were quicker than the previous race record.

The top four men and four women all qualify automatically for this year’s world championships at Kona, Hawaii.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/07/trevor-foley-kat-matthews-clear-out-to-clinch-ironman-nz-titles/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Analysis: NZ Warriors coach Andrew Webster isn’t getting too far ahead of himself, despite his team’s convincing 42-18 over Sydney Roosters in their 2026 NRL season-opener at Go Media Stadium.

Up against a side Sydney media love to install among competition favourites at the start of each season, the Auckland-based side ran in seven tries to three, including a 22-point burst either side of halftime that gave them a firm grip on the contest.

For the 12th time in their 32 seasons, the Warriors have begun their campaign with a win, but Webster wasn’t breaking out the champagne yet.

“Tonight was worth two points, it’s not the grand final,” he insisted. “Everyone puts a lot of emphasis on round one and you get judged.

“Last year, they said we’d get the [wooden] spoon, when we lost in Vegas. Tonight, everyone will say we’re real contenders.

“It’s two points and, if I had a dollar for every time someone won in round one and didn’t back it up the next week, I’d be rich.”

In fact, eight of the 12 season-opening wins across the club’s history were followed by defeats the next week.

Here are some key points to come from the win over the Roosters:

Best player

Any early anxiety over how the Warriors would start the season without Luke Metcalf was eased by the performance of halfback Tanah Boyd, who probably had his best first-grade game for the club.

He set the tone early, taking on the defensive line bursting through for the opening try and continued to orchestrate the Warriors attack masterfully, providing two try assists and two linebreak assists for a game-high 77 SuperCoach fantasy points.

After a couple of early misses off the tee, he converted six of the seven tries, including three from near touch.

“I think the way he’s trained and how clear he’s been, how fast he ran for that try… when Tanah runs, that’s when he’s playing his best.

“I was really happy. I know he’ll have some things on his list, but I thought that was his best game.”

Webster was cagey about any looming rivalry between Boyd and Metcalf for the No.7 jersey, but hinted he was open to playing one of them at five-eighth.

“You don’t have to pigeonhole halves that can only wear the seven jersey,” he said. “Everyone’s getting a bit better at being a six or a seven, or you just look at them as two halves.

“I’m not suggesting at the moment. I’m just grateful we have four really good halfbacks at hand.”

That said, Chanel Harris-Tavita showed he’d also be hard to displace, with a brace of tries, both scored running an inside support line to wing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for late offloads.

Also a special mention for front-rower Jackson Ford, who led his team in both running metres (219) and tackles (28) over 71 minutes.

This is a surprisingly rate feat – he was the only Warrior to achieve it last season, along with just a handful of others across the competition.

Key moment

Probably a couple, but the Roosters looked to have grabbed the lead in the 22nd minute, when Tuivasa-Sheck could not take a high kick from Daly Cherry-Evans and Roosters hooker Benaiah Ioelu won the race for the ball to score.

Replays persuaded the bunker that rival winger Mark Nawaqanitawase had obstructed RTS in the midair contest and the try was disallowed.

With the next possession, the Warriors marched up the other end and centre Adam Pompey scored a try in almost identical fashion to the one that was just ruled out, recovering a kick to scramble across the line.

Even then, some doubt remained about whether he successfully forced the ball before spilling it, but replays suggested he probably did.

That 12-point swing gifted the Warriors momentum, which they turned into a 22-point lead.

The other pivotal point came at 28-18, after the Roosters had scored back-to-back tries and seemed poised to close hard over the final half hour.

Boyd kicked a penalty to stop the bleeding and the Warriors produced a strong defensive stand against repeated sets, including a brilliant reflex grab from second-rower Kurt Capewell, as Roosters half Sam Walker stabbed a kick towards the goal-line.

Harris-Tavita finally put the nail in the coffin with his second try five minutes from the end.

Best try

Soon after halftime, the Roosters needed to score to wrestle back momentum, but instead, Boyd put up a high kick towards the goalposts and second-rower Leka Halasima soared high to claim the catch and crash over for the try.

Halasima made a habit of this during his incredible breakout 2025 season, but Webster held him back until after the break and played him just 35 minutes in this game, preferring to give Jacob Laban a decent run from the starting spot.

“The day will come when Leka will play 80 minutes and I’m looking forward to that day, because it will be awesome, but he doesn’t need to do it right now,” Webster said. “He just needs to own his little time and have that impact.

“There’s nothing wrong with coming on and having a try first touch – it’s really good.”

Injuries

The Warriors seemed to escape any major injuries from this game, although Ford was left clutching his shoulder, after tackling Nawaqanitawase midway through the second half.

He played on another eight minutes, before he was finally subbed off.

Back-up hooker Sam Healey also left for a head check late in the contest, but Webster reported he passed and could be considered next week.

Co-captain Mitch Barnett won’t be back next week, as hoped, as he continues to rehab last year’s season-ending knee injury.

He underwent four days of testing in Sydney last week and, while Webster insisted he had suffered no setback, Barnett will be held out at least another week.

“We’re getting closer, so no dramas there, but the last month to six weeks, you get down to the nitty gritty. Everyone thinks it’s nine months, but sometimes it’s eight-and-a-half months and sometimes it’s 10 months.

“They’re not injuries you want to mess around with. The whole medical industry has advanced so far on how quickly they can get players back, but the ACL is one of those ones that takes so long.”

Roosters

Coach Trent Robinson quietly seethed over how his team wound up on the end of a lopsided penalty count that was 11-2 at one point.

“Things will go against you and the opposition will apply pressure,” he said. “It depends on the referee and how they determine those.

“Eleven-two is quite incredible in our game, and then we had video ref decisions and all of that, but as I go back to, depending on what team you want to be, is how much of a swing against you do you let in that many points.

“We want to be a team that you can have 11-2 against, you can have decisions go against you, and you can put your gloves up and say, ‘That’s cool, we might be a few points down, but we can hold onto that, no matter how far it swings’.”

Essentially, Robinson wants his team to be good enough to withstand that adversity and still compete.

With five minutes left, skipper James Tedesco finally snapped and was penalised for dissent, as he protested another call that went against them.

The addition of Daly Cherry-Evans drew considerable interest. While he didn’t stamp himself on proceedings, Robinson insisted his team had created enough chances to win the game, but 42 points was too many to concede.

The Roosters weren’t helped, when they lost State of Origin front-rower Spencer Leniu during warm-ups with a hamstring injury.

What the result means

A winning start to the season – and not much more.

Midway through the opening round, the Warriors briefly sat second on the table, behind Melbourne Storm, but Penrith Panthers then achieved a bigger points differential in their win over champions Brisbane.

That will likely change again, with three more games scheduled this weekend.

What’s next

Next Friday, the Warriors host Canberra Raiders at Go Media Stadium.

The Raiders won both encounters last season, the first famously in Vegas, and went on to claim minor premier honours, before they were eliminated by Cronulla Sharks in the semifinals.

They face Manly Sea Eagles in their season-opener on Saturday night.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/07/nz-warriors-v-sydney-roosters-too-early-to-celebrate-big-win-in-season-opener/