Sportstalk with D'Arcy Waldegrave

The All Blacks' latest performance will go down in history as having shamed their legacy, according to one rugby reporter.  The side lost 25-15 to Argentina's Pumas on Saturday, the first time they have lost to the team.  NZ Herald rugby writer Gregor Paul joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to dissect what happened during the match, after slamming the team in a column after the performance.  "The All Blacks...

The All Blacks will take on the Pumas in their first meeting of the Tri Nations on Saturday – the first test for the Argentineans since last year's Rugby World Cup. Argentina have been one of the hardest hit teams in world rugby by the pandemic, with several players and coach Mario Ledesma contracting the virus this year. It means the Argentineans will be a relatively unknown prospect heading into...

The Auckland Tuatara have withdrawn from the upcoming Australian Baseball League season due to concerns with Covid-19 restrictions, leaving their future in the competition in jeopardy. New Zealand's only professional baseball club today formally confirmed their decision to opt out, having initially advised the league of their intent to sit out the season on Monday. At that time, they were strongly...

One NZ Herald rugby writer says that a great All Blacks era has come to an end. The All Blacks lost against the Wallabies on Saturday night, in a test that was blighted by red and yellow cards being dished out on both sides.  Rugby writer Gregor Paul joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss what happen, after slamming the team in a piece after the loss. "If it feels that the team are struggling to win...

The Wallabies have made another bombshell selection for the final Bledisloe Cup test - handing the No 10 jersey to Reece Hodge, a position he's only played in at the highest level twice before. Hodge comes into the starting XV off the bench after the Aussies' 43-5 thrashing in Sydney last weekend - the biggest Bledisloe Cup defeat in history and one that secured the trophy for the All Blacks for a...

Raelene Castle expects to cop criticism in her new role - and accepts not everyone thinks her recent CV makes for pretty reading. The 49-year-old Kiwi administrator was on Wednesday named the new CEO of Sport New Zealand, replacing Peter Miskimmin after 12 years at the helm. Miskimmin announced his departure in August. Castle will take over just eight months after a messy break-up with Rugby Austr...

The number of horses that die at Melbourne Cup is "disproportionate" compared to other races, the NZ Herald's racing editor says. Twilight Payment won the prestigious race today, but it was marred by a horse — 2019 Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck — breaking down early in the race and having to be euthanized. It was the seventh horse since 2013 to be put down after racing in the Melbourne Cup....

The All Blacks have entrusted Hoskins Sotutu to take the place of Ardie Savea while he’s on paternity leave. The Blues number eight will make his first test start in Saturday’s third Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney. Sam Whitelock returns from a head knock to start in the second row, while Karl Tu’inukuafe has been promoted to start at loosehead prop with Joe Moody ruled out through HIA protocols. Me...

The long wait is over for the Silver Ferns to get back onto the international test court. New Zealand takes on England in the first of three tests in the Taini Jamison series in Hamilton. The Ferns come off a quad series win where they faced the New Zealand men, the New Zealand under 21's and the New Zealand A, coming away with three wins out of four. The final of those was by far the sweetest - a...

The All Blacks have bolstered their squad to 38 for the Tri Nations in Australia. Uncapped loose forward Du'Plessis Kirifi and prop George Bower are new additions, coming in as cover. Ardie Savea and Nepo Laulala won't fly out with the squad on Sunday as they await the arrival of additions to their families. Kirifi knew just who to call when he found out the news. "I had a moment to myself and gav...

The Mt Panorama circuit in rural New South Wales is probably the most respected and sometimes feared piece of racing tarmac in the Southern Hemisphere. On the eve of the Great Race, Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen talked the Weekend Herald through a lap of Mt Panorama. "Probably the most important corner at Bathurst is Turn One. It sets you up for the first big run up the mountain. It's an easy co...

SA Rugby have revealed why they withdrew the Springboks from the Rugby Championship, saying taking part would have threatened to "seriously jeopardise player welfare". An SA Rugby press release stated the South African-based portion of what was a 46-player squad was scheduled to fly from Johannesburg on Sunday, however, government regulations as currently drafted meant it was unclear whether the t...

The Wallabies came within a post of a famous win over the All Blacks last weekend. Now, they're preparing for the backlash. The sides will meet again in Auckland on Sunday at Eden Park – a venue at which the Wallabies have not beaten their New Zealand counterparts since 1986 – for the second Bledisloe Cup test, which now shapes up as a pivotal one with the victor moving within a win of hoisting th...

The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic have confirmed Australian Diamonds star Caitlin Bassett will join their roster for the 2021 ANZ Premiership season. Bassett, who has won two Netball World Cups and a Commonwealth Games gold medal, will be the first Australian Diamond to compete in the ANZ Premiership with the 1.96m shooter recently named in the national squad by new Diamonds head coach Stacey Marink...

Netball's Constellation Cup has been postponed until next year after both Netball New Zealand and Netball Australia opted to reschedule the trans-Tasman event. The two nations have made a joint decision to postpone the competition due to several factors including Covid-19 requirements and player welfare. Australia's Suncorp Super Netball league does not finish until October 18 and their national p...

The Black Ferns won't play any test rugby this year, despite only being a year out from the Rugby World Cup. The world champions were scheduled to play eight tests - including seven at home - ahead of next year's World Cup in New Zealand, but Covid-19 has forced those matches to be cancelled. Among the games announced in March this year were tests against the USA in Dunedin and two O'Reilly Cup cl...

Warriors superstar Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has finally found top form because the finish line is in sight. That's the word from outgoing Warriors coach Todd Payten, before Sunday's "dead" NRL match against Canberra. Tuivasa-Sheck's statistics have been impressive all year but beyond the numbers, the fullback's influence on attack had been comparatively small. That all changed late in the season though...

The dates for the two Bledisloe Cup tests in New Zealand have been confirmed by New Zealand Rugby, with the All Blacks to play the Wallabies at Wellington's Sky Stadium on Sunday October, 11 and a week later at Eden Park in Auckland (Sunday October, 18). "We're delighted to lock in the dates and venues for the two home matches against Australia and look forward to seeing the Bledisloe Cup go on th...

Sir John Kirwan has sent an impassioned message to the Government around the lack of progress made around All Blacks tests this year. The All Blacks legend has called out the Government over the roadblocks around creating a tournament to bring teams into the country to face the national rugby side. "What's upset me the most is we've created an amazing environment in New Zealand. Even this last loc...

The Auckland Tuatara have recruited five former Major League baseballers for their upcoming Australian League season. Outfielder Eric Young Junior headlines the group, having spent over a decade at the highest level with the likes of the Rockies, Mets, Braves, Yankees and Angels. He's joined by infielder Danny Valencia, and pitchers Justin Grimm, Kyle Davies and Zach Phillips. General manager Rega...

Interim Warriors coach Todd Payten has taken aim at NRL refereeing inconsistencies. The side's loss to the Eels at the weekend was marred by the sin-binning of Jazz Tevaga. NRL head of football Graham Annesley has since revealed he didn't think referee Grant Atkins made the right call. Payten says it's become a theme this season. "In terms of wanting a fair outcome by right decisions consistently,...

Todd Payten has been confirmed as the North Queensland Cowboys' new head coach. Payten has penned a three-year deal beginning in 2021, returning to the club he was an assistant at for four years, which included their 2015 NRL Premiership-winning season. The news initially broke last week with The Daily Telegraph reporting Payten to be the successor to the club's former coach Paul Green. The 41-yea...

The two teams for the Saturday's North v South match at Sky Stadium in Wellington have been named and as expected it will see a battle between Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga. The two All Blacks first five-eighths will face off while Beauden will also be up against his brother Jordie who has been named at fullback for the South. The North side features five Blues players in the pack including n...

Gary Stead will continue as Black Caps head coach until the conclusion of the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Stead's contract was set to expire after this year's Twenty20 World Cup, but with the event postponed and the Black Caps not having played since March, his extension became a formality, signing on for a further three years as head coach in all three formats. His tenure has seen the Black Caps larg...

The high-flying New Zealand Warriors have suffered a cruel double blow as they attempt to keep alive their slim chance of reaching the NRL finals. The club, who occupy the ninth spot on the competition ladder just four points from the playoff spots with four weeks left, have been forced into four changes for Sunday's clash against the Parramatta Eels with rookie sensation Eliesa Katoa among the ca...