Rugby: All Blacks load up the heavy artillery in Lions preparation
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldUnable to take part in the Highlanders' famous win over the Lions, Ben Smith has been amply compensated by being named captain of the All Blacks for the first time.Smith, who assumed the role of All Blacks...
Rugby: Samoa wing going from obscure WA club to facing the All Blacks
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldAlbert Nikoro is going from Western Australian club rugby to facing the All Blacks and hopefully onto a Mitre 10 Cup contract.The 24-year-old will line up on the right wing for Manu Samoa, his sixth test...
All Blacks pay Starship Hospital patients a visit
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldIt was happy chaos for some young fans at Starship Children's Hospital when the All Blacks visited today.Notable stars included Israel Dagg, Aaron Smith, Ryan Crotty, and Ngani Laumape, who took the kids...
Chris Rattue: How Lions coach Warren Gatland blew it before he even arrived
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldLions coach Warren Gatland got things critically wrong before he embarked on what is shaping as the long haul to nowhere.Gatland brought an army yet still managed to leave two vital troops at home and...
Rugby: Experienced Samoa squad facing familiar challenge against All Blacks
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldThe Manu Samoa squad to face the All Blacks has an experienced tinge but will face the age-old difficulty of swiftly shaking off cobwebs in a bid to be competitive from the get-go.The world's 14th ranked...
All Blacks: Four doesn't go into three for Steve Hansen
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldThe beauty of watching the Lions play every three days is that the All Blacks have been able to sit back and build a fat dossier of research to help guide their selections and strategies.What they would...
Lions Tour 2017: Lions yet to show they could handle Beauden Barrett
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldWhat is becoming increasingly clear as the British and Irish Lions tour takes another detour into mediocrity is the threat that quick ruck ball poses to them. They won't encounter Beauden Barrett until...
Rugby: Samoa first target for focused ABs
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldEveryone wants the All Blacks to see red but they're not playing the game, preferring to keep a blue-eyed focus on Friday's test in Auckland against Samoa.While most of yesterday's rugby focus was trained...
Gregor Paul: All Blacks halfback squeeze will be as tight as ever
9 years ago by New Zealand HeraldIt was a hard enough business for the All Blacks picking their 33-man squad, but the really big calls will come this week when they have to name their team to start against Samoa.The squeeze will be on...
End of Lions tour for Stuart Hogg
9 years ago by The Rugby PaperStuart Hogg has been ruled out of the remainder of British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand because of injury. The Scotland full-back sustained a facial fracture sustained in the match against the Canterbury...
