This is a team with a lot of points-scoring potential, including against the best of defences.
After a poor opening game, Shaun Johnson showed plenty of his 2023 form in Melbourne. His creativity and control remain vital to the cause. The continuing rise of Rocco Berry and a re-energised Roger Tuivasa-Sheck showed they could turn the centres into a strength.
The Storm’s comeback – they scored two tries in the final three minutes – was amazing.
Xavier Coates’ winning try, scored in the corner by flying over Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, will live long in many memories.
Once again, the amount of support the Warriors got while in Australia was incredible.
Sometimes, the quality of the sport trumps a disappointing result. It was a wonderful night. Yes, it has been a disappointing start. But this Warriors squad is fully capable of going on a winning run.
WINNER: The big question, after early Super Rugby results
Has Australian rugby improved, or has New Zealand rugby fallen significantly backwards? I suspect it is the latter.
Australian transtasman victories are no longer rarities, so something has changed.
WINNER: The Chiefs halftime show…
…involving a 200-drone light show in Hamilton. It was bloody impressive.
WINNER: Jacko Gill
Another win over the mighty Tom Walsh in their national championship shot put battle.
LOSER: Daryl Mitchell’s bad spin
His “we’re not defined by the outcomes” spiel, after the New Zealand cricketers had crashed to a 2-0 cricket series defeat against Australia, is as stupid as sports stupidity gets.
I thought teammate Matt Henry was almost as bad, defending Mitchell by saying: “We knew what Daryl was trying to say. It’s never easy facing the media straight after a loss like that.”
What a load of hogwash from both of them.
Mitchell needs to know he’ll end up being defined by talking nonsense.
Thankfully, Kiwi greats Jeremy Coney and Ian Smith slammed Mitchell’s comments and did so with superbly argued cases.
As Coney said: “Winning is actually the key to it all.”
As Smith said: “Had they got up and won that test, he wouldn’t have said ‘winning didn’t matter to us’.”
Sport at this level is all about the joy and the agony of victory and defeat.
WINNERS/LOSERS: Blues/Hurricanes
The Blues women put on a stunning second-half display to crush the Hurricanes at Pakuranga. Katelyn Vahaakolo led the try-scoring charge against the Poua, who might have become distracted by their haka controversy.
LOSER: Inaction
Extensive testing showed the late rugby player Billy Guyton had a brain injury that was likely linked to repeated head knocks.
As reported last week, this makes the former Blues and New Zealand Māori halfback – who died at the age of 33 last year in a suspected suicide – our first professional rugby player diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
But we all know Guyton is by no means the first New Zealand footballer to have suffered CTE.
Guyton’s father John told journalist Dylan Cleaver: “The poor guy would spend hours in a small, dark cupboard because he couldn’t handle being in the light.”
“Some mornings he’d just sit in the bottom of his shower crying, trying to muster up the energy to get moving.”
This is like the climate change disaster the world is playing fast and loose with.
Most of us (apart from a few crazy deniers) know the truth, but we don’t want to make any meaningful sacrifices if they severely impact our wonderful lives.
Climate change has carbon credits. Contact sports have HIA assessments and smart mouthguards.
For starters, I would question a state school system that not only actively encourages dangerous contact sports, but schools within the system that use sports like rugby to promote their business.
Meanwhile, governing bodies keep looking for loopholes because – I would argue – there is no way to make their sport truly safe.
New Zealand Rugby says it is supporting research and still trying to understand “any link between concussion and long-term brain health”.
There are, of course, freedom of choice issues here. But that does not extend to children.
At the very least, detailed health warnings should be issued to parents and children about the risks sports like rugby, league and football involve. We must debate whether these sports should be removed from school systems.
WINNER: Luca Nardi
Who?
The 20-year-old Italian became the lowest-ranked player to beat the legendary Novak Djokovic at a top-level tournament.
His staggering win came at Indian Wells, California, at a tournament so important it is called the fifth Grand Slam.
The 123-ranked Nardi responded by calling it “a miracle”. He only got into the tournament when another player pulled out.
WINNER: The fame game
Independent American presidential prospect Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s campaign has confirmed legendary Green Bay NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers is shortlisted for the vice-president spot.
The veteran Rodgers, who will suit up for the New York Jets again, is on a list that might also include former Minnesota governor and wrestler Jesse Ventura.
WINNER: Moses Leota
The Kiwi league front-rower produced a stunning, swerving run for a try as the champion Panthers fended off the Eels in the second round of NRL matches. Leota, who was stupendous in last year’s grand final, might be our most underrated sports star of the moment.
WINNER: Kazuma Kobori
Another unlikely star is the 22-year-old golfer Kazuma Kobori from Rangiora, who has just secured entry into July’s British Open and a 2025 DP World Tour card via his Australasian triumphs.
WINNER: The Wellington Phoenix
On one hand, they were saying goodbye to Auckland, with a come-from-behind victory over Sydney FC at Eden Park. The new Auckland FC team will take command of the city from next season. But on the other hand, that new Kiwi sporting rivalry might give the Phoenix some of the publicity lift they are craving.
