Tiana Metuarau has shone in her Silver Ferns netball debut as part of a 48-42 victory over England in the opening test at Christchurch

The 20-year-old played the whole match in the goal attack bib, shooting 17 goals from 19 attempts at 89 percent - and was named player of the match.



England have withdrawn their men's and women's teams from next month's cricket tour of Pakistan.

The joint-tour was in doubt as soon as New Zealand pulled out of their series on Friday citing a security threat.



At Covid alert level three from tomorrow, all three Auckland-based NPC rugby teams are still unable to train and play.

That will force them to sit out of the competition for at least another two weeks, with players needing time to re-adjust to contact.



League's NRL has revealed the players in contention for the Dally M medal.

Daly Cherry-Evans, Nathan Cleary, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic and Cody Walker are up for the competition's highest individual honour.



The NRL has conceded Parramatta should have been awarded a penalty late in Saturday's semi-final loss to Penrith, but insist that's all their officials got wrong.

They claim Jarome Luai should have been pinged for pulling Mitch Moses back late in the 8-6 defeat.

Otherwise the competition's head of football Graham Annesley has led a defence of referee Ashley Klein and cleared four other debated calls.



Berlin marathon organisers expect around 25 thousand runners to take part in Sunday's race, making it the biggest event of its kind since the start of the pandemic.



Sports law expert Aaron Lloyd believes the Breakers had no option but to part ways with guard Tai Webster.

The 26-year-old has been released from the basketball club after choosing not to get jabbed against Covid-19.

Vaccination is a requirement for the New Zealand NBL side as they prepare to travel around Australia for next year's competition.



The prospects of Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe testing the All Blacks defence this weekend appear remote.

He missed both tests against the Wallabies with a leg injury.



Tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas plans to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, having previously declared he would only do so if the ATP Tour made it mandatory.

The Greek world number three had been concerned about the jab's side effects.



The Taliban have dismissed the executive director of Afghanistan's cricket board.

Hamid Shinwari claims he has been ousted without reason by Anas Haqqani , the younger brother of the country's new Interior Minister Sirajuddin .



Dutch rider Ellen van Dijk has won the time trial at the road cycling world championships in Belgium - she had previously triumphed in the event in 2013.