Paul Lewis writes about rugby, cricket, league, football, yachting, golf, the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
About 1000 years ago, I was selected for the Auckland B rugby team. Unfortunately, fate intervened with a broken leg, and I never got the chance to play. The guy who took my spot went on to play for Auckland for over three years. I didn’t make it back because a career in journalism got in the way – though I still managed to play (lower level) club rugby and cricket in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and the UK, the latter during a stint with the Daily Mail and a couple of UK provincial papers. After serving as a political and crime reporter, as well as an editor of a national magazine, I made a switch to sports journalism. I covered first-class rugby and cricket, spending five years with the All Blacks, reporting on two Rugby World Cups, four Olympics, two Commonwealth Games, and three America’s Cups. In between, I wrote four books and took on roles as the managing director/Asia-Pacific managing director of two PR consultancies based in Singapore and Bangkok. Through all of this, I maintained my connection with sports by continuing to play rugby, along with a bit of cricket and football despite the long work hours.

Paul Lewis: The decisions that led to Blues' most embarrassing loss
OPINION: There was a whiff of complacency, almost arrogance, about the Blues.

Paul Lewis: The key factor levelling Super Rugby playing field
OPINION: Super Rugby Pacific has revived the old element of fatigue.

Paul Lewis: The intriguing Super Rugby battles between All Blacks contenders
OPINION: There were two intriguing personnel clashes on Friday night.

Paul Lewis: Ineos v NZ Rugby and the shifting sponsorship dollar
OPINION: Why does Ineos invest so heavily in professional sport?

Paul Lewis: How ABs can turn French squad snub into advantage
OPINION: New Zealand needs to respond in kind to France's under-strength touring side.

Paul Lewis: The concerns raised for Robertson by Mo'unga's Japan decision
OPINION: Scott Robertson faces pressure to find new talent for the All Blacks' 10 jersey.

Paul Lewis: The possible outcomes from an America’s Cup spat
OPINION: Ratcliffe has the money, Ainslie has the sailors. How would a split work?

Paul Lewis: The case for axing banal sports interviews
OPINION: Banality is the order of the day.

Paul Lewis: Aussie crowds reach new low with booing of American antagonist
OPINION: The treatment of Danielle Collins has stood out for the wrong reasons.

Paul Lewis: The issues World Rugby must fix to save sevens from financial oblivion
OPINION: Spiralling costs have left rugby's shortest format in dire financial territory.

Travelling Kiwis share Airbnb tips after 6000km on the road in Europe
OPINION: Airbnb stays in Europe can either be dreamy or disastrous.

Paul Lewis: The ‘disgusting’ truth about tennis right now
OPINION: The sport has a bad look at present.

From red-hot wins to indigo upsets: A year of colourful sports moments
OPINION: A colour-coded sporting reflection of 2024.

Paul Lewis: How overtourism turned Porto's Livraria Lello into a sardine can
OPINION: A haven for book lovers, Livraria Lello is now a tourist trap drowning in queues.

Paul Lewis: Black Caps must adjust to life without Kane Williamson
OPINION: Black Caps rebuild looms with fewer tests, Kane Williamson free agent.

Bordeaux's trams vs Auckland's gridlock: What can we learn?
OPINION: Why Bordeaux could teach Auckland a thing or two about public transport.

Paul Lewis: The selection call that may have forced Stevenson overseas
OPINION: Selection snubs may force a talented player to look abroad.

Paul Lewis: €154 fine for a €3 bus fare - Kiwi tourists’ Bologna nightmare
OPINION: Simply catching a bus can cost a small fortune for the honest and unwary.

Paul Lewis: Auckland FC proves NZ is finally ready to be a football country
OPINION: The new side's start to life is rewriting the rules.

Paul Lewis: Why selecting overseas All Blacks won't replicate Boks' success
OPINION: NZR must quash Scott Robertson's desire to pick from offshore.

Paul Lewis: The selection shame that has Black Caps in a spin
OPINION: Spin just isn’t the Kiwi way.

Paul Lewis: Sam Cane and the legacy of a misunderstood captain
OPINION: Sam Cane's career was marked by courage and resilience.

Paul Lewis: Hard to know what to make of Robertson's first year
OPINION: Has enough been done to consider 2024 a success?

World Rugby’s high kick law change a potential recipe for chaos – Paul Lewis
OPINION: Just what the game needs, right? More kicking and more penalties.

Paul Lewis: The All Black who had a 'coming-of-age' test in Ireland victory
OPINION: One player doesn't make a rugby team, right? Okay, what about three?

Paul Lewis: The 'almost certain' change All Blacks will make
OPINION: Another good reason why Cameron Roigard should be the ABs' starting halfback.

Paul Lewis: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot? More like Swing Low, Sweet Whining
OPINION: How England’s rugby culture struggles to respond to New Zealand’s haka.

Paul Lewis: Why this city is stronger than Auckland for next America's Cup host
Logic says Auckland has about as much chance as a tissue paper mainsail.

Paul Lewis: How mistakes, not speed, shaped recent America's Cup races
OPINION: Team New Zealand can't outrun tactical blunders.

From hero to heckler: David Campese's greatest off-field gaffes - Paul Lewis
OPINION: Campese has a history of making unfounded comments about coaches and players.

Paul Lewis: All Blacks XV look to the future, why didn't Scott Robertson?
OPINION: The All Blacks backed experience over youth for their northern tour.

Paul Lewis: The Achilles heel Team NZ must overcome to beat Britannia
OPINION: Peter Burling needs to overcome his 'walkabout' moments in the start box.

Paul Lewis: The ruthless selections Robertson must make for northern tour
OPINION: The All Blacks can't pick on sentiment as they prepare for the future.

Paul Lewis: Why dropping McKenzie would be a mistake
OPINION: The All Blacks No 10 is copping far too much of the blame.

Paul Lewis: Naive Black Ferns need change before bigger tests
OPINION: If the Ferns are to beat England next month, they’ll need more than they showed.

Paul Lewis: The players that let Scott Robertson down in losses to Springboks
OPINION: The All Blacks' record is now 4-3 under their new coach.

Paul Lewis: When will we start to see the best of America's Cup racing?
OPINION: Conditions are yet to play into the hands of teams in Barcelona.

Paul Lewis: Young guns need more game time - a call for strategic change
OPINION: Scott Robertson needs to start young stars like Cortez Ratima.

Paul Lewis: Team NZ crane debacle’s only certainty is uncertainty
OPINION: A Spanish crane hire company will have already received an urgent phone call.

Paul Lewis: Are challengers deliberately racing poorly against Team NZ?
OPINION: There had been some earlier rumours in yachting-land.

Paul Lewis: The contrast between All Blacks and Boks post-World Cup
OPINION: The All Blacks' selections for the upcoming tests will be fascinating.

The rule set to impact America's Cup before sailing begins
Vital decisions on the key variables of the AC75s must be made well ahead of racing.

Paul Lewis: Why All Blacks' loose forwards are failing to impress
OPINION: The All Blacks need to rethink their loose forward selection.

Paul Lewis: Our women Olympians are putting the men to shame
Over the last 20 years, New Zealand women have won 22 golds, double the men's tally of 11.

Paul Lewis: Put the feet first to find sprint champions
OPINION: He won but … did he really? What should we believe?

Paul Lewis: What the first week of Paris 2024 taught us
OPINION: Paris slays but the Seine's a hot mess - should the Olympics stay here forever?

Paul Lewis: New Zealand's Sevens strategy needs rethink
OPINION: The ousting of NZ's Olympic Sevens team may prompt a strategy overhaul.

Paul Lewis: The big selections Robertson must get right
OPINION: Certainty in playmaker roles is crucial for the ABs' prospects.

Paul Lewis: All Blacks' style is flawed without a Plan B
OPINION: The All Blacks need to be able to change strategy when it matters most.

Paul Lewis: Why the All Blacks should keep Barrett on the bench
OPINION: Why the All Blacks' old guard needs to step aside for new blood.

Paul Lewis: Razor’s not the Messiah. He’s just a very good coach
OPINION: There's some early excitement about the new ABs coach

Paul Lewis: Robertson’s Sotutu explanation reveals All Blacks intentions
OPINION: Defeat in the England series would be a disaster in a season full of tough sides.

Paul Lewis: The contenders to host New Zealand's SailGP leg
OPINION: Auckland or Queenstown? How about somewhere else? Analysing the best locations.

Paul Lewis: Heartbreak and hope – the tough choices in All Blacks team picks
OPINION: Brent Anderson missed '87 Rugby WC squad; bitter memory of televised rejection.

US Open: Dustin Johnson and the tyranny of having to play golf
Johnson's departure typifies what happens when money beats sport.

Paul Lewis: The $2b question over laughable America’s Cup claims
ANALYSIS: Economic gains from major events like the America's Cup are often overstated.

Paul Lewis: New strategy for All Blacks? How they might surprise England
Analysis: Why the All Blacks might abandon their signature style against old foes.

Paul Lewis: Who will be Razor's first All Blacks bolters?
OPINION: A few positions might accommodate test newcomers.

Opinion: Sam Cane deserved better from New Zealand’s rugby media
OPINION: The former captain had to endure more criticism than most.

Paul Lewis: World Rugby's law changes too timid to be good
OPINION: New rugby rules aim to entertain - but are they enough?

Paul Lewis: Coutts shows he's not like most New Zealanders
OPINION: How many other marine sanctuaries has SailGP raced on?

Paul Lewis: World Rugby changes fail to address blight on the game
OPINION: Rolling mauls are a boring eyesore.

Paul Lewis: Poua to the people! Hurricanes haka should be welcomed
OPINION: The Hurricanes women should be saluted and celebrated for sharing their message.

Is fan ownership the key to NRL success in the South Island?
OPINION: Paul Lewis examines the feasibility of fan ownership in the South Island NRL bid.

The stand-out young talent of Super Rugby so far
Paul Lewis outlines the best young players that have stood out to him during Super Rugby.

Guns for hire: Rugby's battle with nationality and identity
OPINION: Unpacking rugby's imbalances on and off the field.

Batter banter or burden? The dilemma of miking up cricketers
OPINION: Batters should be left to do their job without commentators' matey chatter.

Opinion: The hypocrisy of David Warner's crack at Kiwi fans
Opinion: The Aussie veteran has a long history of being a little more than passionate.

Paul Lewis: The end of the small bloke era in rugby
OPINION: Rugby's emphasis on size and power is setting up the end of an era.

Paul Lewis: The big-money reasons America’s Cup had to go offshore
It seems aeons ago that trouble flared when it became clear Team NZ were looking overseas.

Paul Lewis: The complex narrative surrounding Alexander Zverev
OPINION: Tennis needs a more comprehensive approach to domestic violence claims.

Paul Lewis: The T20 maestro the Black Caps can't afford not to play
OPINION: Why Finn Allen deserves a pivotal role in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Razor doesn't need overseas All Blacks... right now
OPINION: There will be no change in the immediate future in picking overseas All Blacks.

Herald sport classic: Richie McCaw’s quiet day at the office
A look back into the vault at one of Richie McCaw's 'quiet' games in 2008.

Paul Lewis: Time for a new reality in test cricket
OPINION: Steve Waugh is right. NZ Cricket should say thanks, but no thanks.

Paul Lewis: Jon Rahm and the price of principle
OPINION: The integrity of professional golfers is on the line.

The All Blacks selection dilemma for Scott Robertson
Opinion: Many are expecting Robertson to bring a new approach.

Paul Lewis: Difficult question surrounds English rugby star's mental health break
OPINION: When does criticism stray into harmful harassment?