Blues overcome Covid set-backs, Crusaders suffer first loss in 11 matches, White Ferns World Cup chances hand by a thread and more from the weekend's sporting action. Video / Getty Images / Photosport
OPINION:
Cameron McMillan looks over the highs and lows from the sporting weekend.
Losers – White Ferns
What a letdown. The White Ferns just didn't front up during or after yesterday's disappointing loss to World Cup front-runners Australia.
The Basin Reserve looked amazing, the scene was set for a WorldCup classic against Australia and the White Ferns looked great for the first 25 overs, until the Aussies stepped it up and looked a class above in all aspects. Thirteen straight ODI defeats doesn't leave room for much hope for the rest of the tournament. There's no doubt New Zealand have the side to go on a run and book a semifinal spot because it's clear that at the moment to win the World Cup, they will have to go through Australia.
Captains Sophie Devine (NZ) and Meg Lanning (Australia) at the end of their Women's Cricket World Cup match at the Basin Reserve. Photo / Photosport
At some point during the collapse maybe the White Ferns should have considered the bigger picture of their semifinal hopes and protected their net run rate which has taken a massive hit. Equally disappointing was that neither a player nor the head coach fronted the media after the 141-run thrashing. Instead, assistant coach Jacob Oram stepped in. Oram is a fine talker, but come on, where were Sophie Devine and Bob Carter?
Aside from the result, well done to the World Cup organisers for the effort to get the crowd capacity increased. Despite not being a sell-out in traditional terms, the Basin looked great with the fans in attendance. I'm slightly concerned that due to its size Eden Park won't be able to pull it off for Sunday's crucial encounter against England.
Winners – The Chiefs
The Crusaders just don't give up 11-point leads with five minutes to play. They don't give up any sort of lead with time on the clock. An uncharacteristic loss for Scott Robertson's side and conversely a huge victory for the Chiefs. Can't wait to see these two teams clash again in 12 days' time – to see how the Crusaders will respond and just how confident the Chiefs will be on home turf. On a wider view, it's great for the competition to have seen two Australian sides leading the overall table. It will make the second half of Super Rugby Pacific all the more interesting if New Zealand sides are chasing for playoff spots.
Shaun Stevenson and the Chiefs celebrate Rameka Poihipi's match-winning try against the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport
Losers - Super Rugby's battle against Covid
While some Kiwi fans might view the Brumbies and Reds sitting atop the table as slightly worrying, the sad sight is actually Moana Pasifika with just one game played next to their name. The new schedule will see them face the Blues, and then the Chiefs, twice in the same week which is uncharted territory for Super Rugby, let alone a franchise that haven't even played twice in two weeks let alone twice in five days. Put it down as not an ideal situation but the only real solution. But unfortunately, it leaves the newcomers at a disadvantage.
This is a fantastic competition that will once again come down to the final weekend, with unbeaten France needing a win at home against England to secure the title. The English press had high praise their side's "gutsy" display with 14 men for most of the test against Ireland, admiration I don't recall when a 14-man All Blacks side narrowly lost to the Lions in 2017.
France have now reeled off consecutive wins over Argentina, the All Blacks, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. As Gregor Paul wrote in his latest column, it's probably the right call by France to avoid the All Blacks at the end of this year and leave their next clash until the World Cup opener.
The one downside of the Six Nations schedules is the "whoever is playing Italy fixture", which is pretty much a guaranteed win. The inclusion of South Africa would be not much better if it was at the expense of Italy, who are about to finish last in the competition, and possibly winless, for the seventh straight year.
Losers - The Warriors
Trying to find a positive? When the Warriors last made the grand final in 2011, their first win of the season didn't come until round four. So start panicking if they still haven't won a game after the Broncos' clash on April 2.
Loser/Winner – Lydia Ko
New Zealand's Lydia Ko is the Saudi Ladies International champion but has had to withdraw with Covid. Photo / LET
There is never a good time to get Covid-19, especially when it meant Lydia Ko had to withdraw from a tournament in which she's the defending champion. But the positive is she won't play in Saudi Arabia this week – a country that just executed 81 men in one day. Maybe it will give her time to reconsider playing the tournament again. Don't worry though, sports fans, you'll get to see sweeping shots of Saudi Arabia when Formula One arrives in a fortnight.
