Some of the smartest people in the country examine the effects of the pandemic on Aotearoa’s future in 400 words or fewer. There are few corners of society that Covid-19 has not touched. From healthcare to the economy, education to professional sport, the pandemic has changed the way we interact with each other and the … Read more
All Black fans are desperate to watch them take on Australia. But the arguments for playing in New Zealand are worse than flimsy, writes Scotty Stevenson. On October 10 this year, the All Blacks and the Wallabies will play the first match of a Bledisloe Cup series. If there is any fairness left in the … Read more
Talks about the future of men’s rugby have dominated rugby news during the Covid crisis, but ex-Black Fern Melodie Robinson says it’s crucial New Zealand Rugby starts considering how the women’s game will fare with equal urgency. Sports organisations around the world are scrambling to figure out ways their codes can viably continue into the … Read more
All Black and Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara says professional players should have more opportunities to play at club level, in The Spinoff’s new video series Rugby Unwrapped with Scotty Stevenson. The future of professional sports is in a precarious position. With international and national games and competitions off the table for the time being, organisations … Read more
Without the sounds of the day-to-day competing for attention, Scotty Stevenson has taken some time over the past four weeks to listen. I heard my father talking tonight. He’s been dead seven years. His voice was deep, filled with an understated enthusiasm, imbued with eternal encouragement, just as I remembered it. I heard it while … Read more
Regardless on where you stand on the Owen Farrell Incident, the last 72 hours demonstrate one thing: rugby union revels in confusing its own fans. “Almost everyone believes that should have been a penalty.” This is as close as one can get to the definitive word from World Rugby when it comes to that Owen … Read more
The death of famed sports pundit Dr Z adds extra motivation for six of the USA Eagles as they prepare to take on the Māori All Blacks on Sunday. One by one they have gone, and today the last of them took his final breath. Paul Zimmerman, known to anyone who ever took a passing … Read more
Last year Auckland won just three games in the National Provincial Championship, recording their worst finish in the history of the National Provincial Championship. Twelve months on, the famous blue and white hoops are on the cusp of winning the title. It has been a dramatic turnaround for a provincial side that has put respect … Read more
In what could be World Rugby’s most game-changing play since the introduction of the Rugby World Cup in 1987, plans for an annual ‘League of Nations’ tournament show the governing body’s intent to keep the international game on top, writes Scotty Stevenson. According the reports out of France, the days of the Southern Hemisphere’s annual … Read more
Scotty Stevenson pays tribute to the charms of Auckland’s Heritage Hotel, where the new All Black squad was announced over the weekend. So familiar now, those halls and doors; the flickering lights and the dated beige. So many times they have all walked the wooden steps down to the team room, or marched across the … Read more
Hurricanes winger Ben Lam has been a revelation this season, but looks unlikely to be in the All Black’s thinking for June. Scotty Stevenson discusses the reasons why, and what it says about how tough it is to make the team. In Wellington, at least, they love him. Ben Lam, the big winger on the end of a … Read more
As the Hurricanes held off the Chiefs on Friday night, Scotty Stevenson had a chance to reflect on the simple joy of watching a game. This is how it began on Friday night in Wellington: Hurricanes openside flanker Sam Henwood was knocked into next week by Chiefs centre Anton Lienert-Brown, Chiefs hooker Nathan Harris was … Read more
New Zealand Rugby needs its biggest city to be in love with rugby union. But if last weekend is anything to go by, Auckland may be considering a love affair with that other rugby code. Can the Blues win over a jaded public? Scotty Stevenson says this weekend has more riding on it than just … Read more
Home advantage is a very real thing in the history of Super Rugby finals, but the Crusaders don’t mind a road trip, and won’t be worried about being away from home this weekend. I hate to break it to you, but I can guarantee the Crusaders are completely okay with playing in Johannesburg this weekend. … Read more
It’s only fair that most of the focus ahead of this weekend’s Super Rugby semi-finals will be on the players but, as Scotty Stevenson writes, both crucial clashes will also be defined by a battle between the old and new schools of professional coaches. Dave Rennie has never been one to mince his words. To … Read more
The Super Rugby finals kick off this weekend with the best attacking teams in the competition favoured to have it all their way in the first round. That’s all well and good, but finals footy is finals footy, and as Scotty Stevenson discovers, we may need to have a conversation about discipline, too. You never … Read more
A week after the melodramatic ending to the Lions tour and the “controversial penalty, that wasn’t a penalty, that could have been a penalty, that wasn’t a penalty,” the rugby world is none the wiser. Former All Black Mils Muliaina is still pissed that no clarity has been provided around that final decision. We all … Read more
Appearing every few years when New Zealand needs him most, Stephen Donald once again struck fear into the hearts of our enemies last night. Don Rowe considers the Beaver’s leadership, and places him amongst the finest we’ve ever seen. Last night Stephen Donald drew a line in the turf over which the entire nation of Wales … Read more