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Green light for bars and clubs to open outside normal licensing hours for Rugby World Cup games

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Green light for bars and clubs to open outside normal licensing hours for Rugby World Cup games

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New Zealand bars and clubs have been given the green light to open outside normal licensing hours for Rugby World Cup games.

On Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed Cabinet agreed to introduce the extended trading hours amendment bill, which would be put before Parliament this week.

The bill will mean eligible licensed premises can televise live games that fall outside of their usual trading hours.

Fans will be able to watch the matches in bars and cafes if they chose and clubs across the county could open to televise the matches, Ardern said.

Venues will be able to open one hour before they begin screening a match and will need to stop selling alcohol 30 minutes after a match ends, she said.

The Bill needs to be enacted by September 10 because licensees would need to give at least seven days' notice to councils and police if they were going to extend trading hours.

The Bill mirrors changes made to the Act during the 2015 Rugby World Cup that allowed venues to open to screen games that were played outside normal trading hours.

Last week, Justice Minister Andrew Little said it was clear some clubs were having difficulty persuading district licensing committees to grant a special licence to extend their hours for the "obviously special event".

It made sense for Parliament to allow clubs to meet a community desire, he said.

The Opposition has backed the initiative, meaning Parliament can pass legislation quickly.

The Rugby World Cup starts in Japan on September 20, and the All Blacks start their campaign for a third successive tournament win, when they take on South Africa at Yokohama.

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Green light for bars and clubs to open outside normal licensing hours for Rugby World Cup games

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New Zealand bars and clubs have been given the green light to open outside normal licensing hours for Rugby World Cup games. On Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed Cabinet agreed to introduce the extended trading hours amendment bill, which would be put before Parliament this week.

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A referee was punched by a player he had just red-carded during a club rugby final in rural Otago.

The incident happened in the final minutes of the Otago Rugby Football Union Seniors' final between Strath Taieri and Crescent in Middlemarch on Saturday afternoon.

Strath Taieri president Shane Taylor said the Middlemarch-based team was just four points up and "hard on defence" with time almost up on the clock.

"We were just killing the time, running the ball up, but with 10 seconds to go this guy just came up and donged one of our players."

READ MORE:
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The Crescent player hit the front rower with a closed fist, giving the referee little option but to show him the red card.

The player then punched the referee, shocking the crowd.

The referee is understood to have stepped back as the player swung his fist, hitting the referee's shoulder.

The incident was filmed, but Stuff has decided not to show the clip.

Taylor said the Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) would make a decision about the player's future, but "we will be pushing for a life ban".

It was the second time a player had hit a referee during this season, he said.

ORFU general manager Richard Kinley declined to talk about the incident, other than to say the referee was being supported.

Contacts for the Kaitangata-based Crescent club did not return calls.

Constable Allan Lynch, who played for Strath Taieri, declined to talk about the incident, but confirmed he would talk with the ORFU about the matter.

Strath Taieri won the final 29-24, after being behind 7-17 at halftime.

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Rugby player coward punches referee during Otago club seniors final

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A referee was punched by a player he had just red-carded during a club rugby final in rural Otago. The incident happened in the final minutes of the Otago Rugby Football Union Seniors' final between Strath Taieri and Crescent in Middlemarch on Saturday afternoon.

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the Silver Ferns would collect no prize money for winning the World Cup. In contrast, the Black Caps were awarded $3million as runners-up of the men's Cricket World Cup after losing the final against hosts England.

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has challenged sponsors of the Silver Ferns to consider awarding their world champion players a bonus after winning the Netball World Cup in England on Sunday (Monday NZ time).

The Silver Ferns won their first World Cup in 16 years after beating defending champions Australia 52-51 in the final in Liverpool, capping an incredible turnaround after last year's disastrous Commonwealth Games campaign where they failed to medal on the Gold Coast.

Despite the success, it was soon revealed the Silver Ferns would collect no prize money for winning the World Cup. In contrast, the Black Caps were awarded $3million as runners-up of the men's Cricket World Cup after losing the final against hosts England.

PM Ardern, who was among those to publicly congratulate the Ferns, said the team's major sponsors - including the likes of ANZ and M.Y.O.B - ought to consider payouts on the back on getting exposure through their World Cup campaign.

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"I wouldn't want to call [the sponsors] out but ultimately they're the ones that derive benefit from us being the best on the world stage," Ardern told The AM Show on Tuesday.

"I think it should really just be a question for us, does that feel fair? Because it does tend to, of course, be those sports like netball where you don't see that same attraction of sponsorship.

"You couldn't have watched that game and say that those players weren't deserving of recognition. Go on, why not [give them a bonus]."

Netball New Zealand received $1.2m in high-performance funding from the government this year but they don't fund sports for the purpose of awarding bonuses for winning teams.

Ardern commented on the issue on Monday, saying: "As a general principle, I think New Zealanders would like to see fair acknowledgement of sportspeople when they reach the top of their code, and that should include netball."

Leading Silver Ferns earn about $130,000, about a tenth of what All Blacks captain Kieran Read gets - and New Zealand Rugby about 10 times more in sponsorship than Netball New Zealand.

Ardern also spoke of the difficulties of arranging a victory parade with the whole team with captain Laura Langman and coach Noeline Taura returning to Australia to resume their duties with the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

"They're all busy going off to play netball in other places," Ardern told the AM Show.

"Trying to get people into one place has been a bit of a struggle, so my understanding at the moment is that we are going to try and bring everyone together.

"I don't have a precise date for that yet but we're putting some effort in I know people want to recognise them. It might be a little way off, though, just because of travel."

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Netball World Cup: Jacinda Ardern asks sponsors to consider Silver Ferns bonuses

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has challenged sponsors of the Silver Ferns to consider awarding their world champion players a bonus after winning the Netball World Cup in England on Sunday (Monday NZ time).

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Interesting facts.

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WHY girls and boys SHOULD compete with one another

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WHY girls and boys SHOULD compete with one another

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Another good TED talk to listen to.

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Why Girls And Boys Should Compete With Each Other In Sports | John Brenkus | TEDxUniversityofNevada

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Watch this.

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It Starts on the Court: Gender Equality in Sports and Beyond | Sarah Du | TEDxDeerfieldAcademy

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The Black Ferns Sevens team have invited Briar Hales to train with them after the attempt to prevent her playing in an intermediate school rugby tournament.

The women's national sevens side have given the 11-year-old an offer that sounds too good to refuse.

Appearing on TVNZ's Breakfast on Thursday morning captain Sarah Hirini said it was disappointing Hales had been excluded.

"I'm disappointed she's been put in a position where she's had to choose and she feels like she's going to let her team down if she plays."

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* Rugby team stands behind Briar Hales

"Hopefully, we can get her to Mount Maunganui and have a run around with us because that would be pretty cool."

Five school principals in the Hawkes Bay tried to exclude 11-year-old from an intermediate rugby tournament because of her gender.

Briar, a Havelock North Intermediate student, was told if she plays with the boys at the Super-Six tournament between six intermediate schools in Napier and Hastings her team would forfeit any points. That is despite her playing rugby with boys from a young age.

As a result, Briar pulled out of the team, but her teammates have asked her to play despite forfeiting the points.

"I think she should be playing - she's 11-years-old, she loves the sport and she's pretty good at it. To have the guts at 11 to want to play against boys as well, she should have every right to want to play," Hirini said.

Hirini and team-mate Black Ferns Sevens Niall Williams formally invited Hales to train.

"Hey Briar, we just want to say we think what you're doing is amazing, keep doing it and don't let anyone stop you," Williams said.

"Rugby is an amazing sport and it can take you a lot of places in the future.

"Make sure you come down to the Mount and call us up and we'll be happy to train alongside you any day."

They are not the first two rugby players to comment on Hales misfortune.

New Zealand Rugby player of the year Kendra Cocksedge says girls should always have the opportunity to play rugby with the boys. It's what she did.

"I feel sorry for her. I always played for the boys (team) at that age and it helped with my skill level and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

"I think it is important for the ones who want to be able to play for the boys for as long as they can.

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Black Ferns Sevens invite 11-year-old Briar Hales to training

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The Black Ferns Sevens team have invited Briar Hales to train with them after the attempt to prevent her playing in an intermediate school rugby tournament. The women's national sevens side have given the 11-year-old an offer that sounds too good to refuse.

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St Peter's College was one of the ten schools who boycotted Saint Kentigern College earlier this year, over claims of player poaching and dodgy scholarship deals. Stuff spent five months alongside the reigning national champions to find out what it's all about and what their unrelenting pursuit of excellence costs them. Jackson Thomas reports.
It's 3.30pm, on a grizzly overcast day in March, and a group of teenage boys sit anxiously in class long after their fellow students have left.

Their pens are rapidly tapping the desk in front of them while their eyes dart between test paper and clock.

Looking out of the window they can see the defending champions, St Peter's 1XV, going through their stretches, gearing up for their first pre-season hit-out of 2019.

St Peter's did not know Stuff were among the hundreds of students and locals in the crowd, eager to see what kind of side the 2018 champions would turn out this season.

The crowd was awash with blue and yellow, kids waving flags, face paint and an array of badly-played musical instruments from drums to vuvuzelas.

The excitement was palpable. But when the first XV came out of the sheds, something was wrong.

St Peter's ran out with the bare 15 and no reserves - and some notable senior players missing. No-one could work out what was going on.

Back across the road hands were cramping up as the small group of boys raced to finish their tests, heads swivelling back and forth from the field to the desks.

Stuff would learn that several players had been kept behind to finish schoolwork that clashed with kickoff time.

The boys had to suffer the torture of looking on from the windows as their brothers took the hits for them.

It wasn't until some 20 minutes into the contest that the crowd's attention was diverted to Mountain Road, where a flustered group of giant boys in uniform could be seen sprinting towards the sheds to get changed.

Some were so keen to get onto the field they even began stripping off 40m shy of the changing rooms.

For many young men, and those in their 40's and 50's reminiscing about the good old days, schoolboy rugby represents the peak of their sporting and social life.

For the current St Peter's 1XV this is no different, but their path to glory on the pitch is an arduous journey which starts by just crossing the road - Mountain Road.

The 1.5km stretch of asphalt runs through the St Peter's campus separating the 80-year-old school buildings from "the cage"; the number one field that has seen countless victories and defeats over the years.

To them, it symbolises an important divide.

"School comes first. Perform on that side of the road and earn the right to cross onto the rugby side. One cannot operate without the other and excellence on both sides is the recipe for excellence beyond school," head coach Walter Alvarez says to his wider squad.

School first, rugby second. Initially, it sounded like tired PR spin on the part of an elite sporting school.

Every programme preaches it externally, but behind closed doors rugby takes precedence.

But as we quickly learnt, St Peter's are walking the walk.

"Crossing the road had to wait on that day (pre-season game), that's the way it goes. We are not saying it for any reason or any hidden agenda, school comes first, always," says Alvarez.

St Peter's flanker and vice-captain Malipolo Manukia wholeheartedly agreed with the tough stance shown by his coach: "There is a rule for us: if you don't perform in the classroom you can't cross the road, and it's important. This thing we do, rugby, it's a privilege, and it's earned not given. So I'm big on making sure I excel to the best of my ability in school so that I can run around with my mates."

St Peter's comfortably won the pre-season contest regardless.

Coach Alvarez is candid with his players when they first gather for pre-season training in January, for the start of another gruelling campaign - and his Mountain Rd analogy is a staple of the team's ethos.

"You can't be a clown on this (the school) side of the road and an All Black over there. Hard work, discipline, respect, brotherhood. That's what we are about here."

And for those who don't grasp that straight away, it is quickly hammered home through hard training sessions.

Under the searing west coast sun and scorching black sand of Muriwai beach, that message is first seeded at the annual "longest day" challenge.

The longest day has become a rite of passage for wannabe 1XV stars. It consists of a gruelling 24-hour military style challenge designed to test early on who has both the mental and physical toughness to make the squad.

The players ran, swam, climbed - and then ran, swam and climbed some more with little to no sleep. Dune runs, carrying their peers in the blistering March heat.

It was of course about conditioning, aerobic and otherwise, but unbeknownst to these young men, Alvarez's underlying message was being seared into their brains, one he spoke about at that first January meeting.

"Hard work, discipline, respect, brotherhood."

Over the course of five months, Alvarez initial squad of 50-60 boys is painstakingly cut down to 30 before the first game of the 1A season.

It's something the Argentinian born coach says is "the hardest part" of his job, but a necessary reality of high-level competition.

Pre-season is a long, tough slog - both mentally and physically - and when you're the defending champions, expectation weighs heavy.

St Peter's fought through the fire and have had an impressive start to the season.

After a nail-biting grand final loss at the schoolboy world championships in Japan, they returned to Auckland and started the 1A competition with four wins and one loss.

Individually there has been plenty of success as well.

Captain Naryan Strickland was named head boy, an honour he holds higher than any rugby achievement to date.

The team's powerhouse flanker Manukia is weighing up professional rugby league offers.

Manukia, the eldest of seven siblings, is set to take up a contract that will hopefully afford him the chance to look after his family for years to come - his biggest inspiration.

He's a rare blend of size and speed, so gifted that even highly regarded NRL outfits like the Melbourne Storm have expressed interest.

As Manukia explains, his story is not all that different from some of his peers.

"I could have gone to heaps of schools out west (where he is from) and been fine, but to be sent to such an awesome school like this shows how much my future means to my parents," he says.

"For myself and a lot of island boys here we know that our families have done a lot to get us here, so it puts the pressure on us to do well, and we support each other in our pursuit of that. The goal is to look after them, and be an example for my siblings."

1XV rugby divides people, and will probably always present ethical questions about how far these boys should be pushed at such an early age - at the end of the day they are kids.

They might train like the pros, swagger like rockstars and spend their lunch breaks talking about which professional club they will link with once school finishes.

But the outward confidence is kept in check by the strict St Peter's code - hard work, discipline, respect, brotherhood.

Being good at rugby is not good enough.

And after five months of standing on the sidelines in the rain and sitting in the sheds pre-game, Stuff saw that regardless of the scoreline these are just kids having fun with their mates.

They have homework, go to the movies together and chase girls.

To some of them, this will be as far as their sporting careers go. But to many, it doesn't end here.

The freakish amount of elite players this school produces is unarguable - If following the current trend 70-80 per cent of this year's 1XV will land professional contracts.

It's a school that has produced some of the country's top rugby talent through hard work and dedication - not scholarships and player poaching.

The next Patrick Tuipulotu won't be far behind - in fact, he could be crossing Mountain Road at 3pm for training today.

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St Peter's College - Inside the world of elite schoolboy rugby

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St Peter's College was one of the ten schools who boycotted Saint Kentigern College earlier this year, over claims of player poaching and dodgy scholarship deals. Stuff spent five months alongside the reigning national champions to find out what it's all about and what their unrelenting pursuit of excellence costs them.

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A rundown of the Rugby World Cup groups for the 2019 tournament in Japan
Rugby World Cup Groups
The 2019 Rugby World Cup runs from Friday 20 September to Saturday 2 November, with games played across Japan. This page has all you need to know with regards the four pools at the tournament.

There are 20 teams involved in the World Cup, divided into four groups of five, and the two teams that finish top of the table in their pool after the group matches progress to the quarter-finals.

Twelve teams qualified automatically for RWC 2019 by finishing in the top three of their groups at the 2015 tournament in England. Those teams are New Zealand, who won back-to-back titles and are looking to secure a hat-trick in 2019, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, England, Georgia, Japan and Italy.

Related: 2019 Rugby World Cup fixtures

The original pool draw was made in May 2017, with the 12 qualified teams split into various bands depending on their World Rugby Ranking at the time, with New Zealand, England, Australia and Ireland in the top band.

Since then, the USA have qualified as Americas 1 and Uruguay have qualified as Americas 2, while Fiji and Tonga made it to the finals as Oceania 1 and Oceania 2 respectively.

After much controversy in the Rugby Europe Championship, which doubles a World Cup qualifier, Russia made it through to Japan as Europe 1.

Rugby World Cup Fixtures The 2019 Rugby World...

What you need to know about the 12...

Take a look at all the matches that...

Held in Japan for the first time, make...

Samoa went through to Japan 2019 as the Play-off Winner with a comfortable aggregate win over two legs against Germany.

Namibia secured the Africa 1 qualifying spot and a place in Pool B by winning the Africa Gold Cup, which also involved Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Repechage tournament was played in November 2018 in Marseille and involved four teams - Canada, Germany, Africa Gold Cup runners-up Kenya and Hong Kong, who won the Asia Championship and then beat the Cook Islands in a play-off.

Canada won the tournament and secured their place in the World Cup.

These are the Rugby World Cup groups for Japan 2019 as they stand:

Rugby World Cup Groups
Pool A Ireland Scotland Japan Russia Samoa Pool B New Zealand South Africa Italy Namibia Canada Pool C England France Argentina USA Tonga Pool D Australia Wales Georgia Fiji Uruguay
Follow our Rugby World Cup homepage which we update regularly with news and features.

Also make sure you know about the Groups, Warm-ups, Dates, Fixtures, Venues, TV Coverage, Qualified Teams by clicking on the highlighted links.

Finally, don't forget to follow Rugby World on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

What you need to know about the 12...

Take a look at all the matches that...

Held in Japan for the first time, make...

Samoa went through to Japan 2019 as the Play-off Winner with a comfortable aggregate win over two legs against Germany.

Namibia secured the Africa 1 qualifying spot and a place in Pool B by winning the Africa Gold Cup, which also involved Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Repechage tournament was played in November 2018 in Marseille and involved four teams - Canada, Germany, Africa Gold Cup runners-up Kenya and Hong Kong, who won the Asia Championship and then beat the Cook Islands in a play-off.

Canada won the tournament and secured their place in the World Cup.

These are the Rugby World Cup groups for Japan 2019 as they stand:

Rugby World Cup Groups
Pool A Ireland Scotland Japan Russia Samoa Pool B New Zealand South Africa Italy Namibia Canada Pool C England France Argentina USA Tonga Pool D Australia Wales Georgia Fiji Uruguay
Follow our Rugby World Cup homepage which we update regularly with news and features.

Also make sure you know about the Groups, Warm-ups, Dates, Fixtures, Venues, TV Coverage, Qualified Teams by clicking on the highlighted links.

Finally, don't forget to follow Rugby World on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Take a look at all the matches that...

Held in Japan for the first time, make...

Samoa went through to Japan 2019 as the Play-off Winner with a comfortable aggregate win over two legs against Germany.

Namibia secured the Africa 1 qualifying spot and a place in Pool B by winning the Africa Gold Cup, which also involved Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Repechage tournament was played in November 2018 in Marseille and involved four teams - Canada, Germany, Africa Gold Cup runners-up Kenya and Hong Kong, who won the Asia Championship and then beat the Cook Islands in a play-off.

Canada won the tournament and secured their place in the World Cup.

These are the Rugby World Cup groups for Japan 2019 as they stand:

Rugby World Cup Groups
Pool A Ireland Scotland Japan Russia Samoa Pool B New Zealand South Africa Italy Namibia Canada Pool C England France Argentina USA Tonga Pool D Australia Wales Georgia Fiji Uruguay
Follow our Rugby World Cup homepage which we update regularly with news and features.

Also make sure you know about the Groups, Warm-ups, Dates, Fixtures, Venues, TV Coverage, Qualified Teams by clicking on the highlighted links.

Finally, don't forget to follow Rugby World on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Held in Japan for the first time, make...

Samoa went through to Japan 2019 as the Play-off Winner with a comfortable aggregate win over two legs against Germany.

Namibia secured the Africa 1 qualifying spot and a place in Pool B by winning the Africa Gold Cup, which also involved Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Repechage tournament was played in November 2018 in Marseille and involved four teams - Canada, Germany, Africa Gold Cup runners-up Kenya and Hong Kong, who won the Asia Championship and then beat the Cook Islands in a play-off.

Canada won the tournament and secured their place in the World Cup.

These are the Rugby World Cup groups for Japan 2019 as they stand:

Rugby World Cup Groups
Pool A Ireland Scotland Japan Russia Samoa Pool B New Zealand South Africa Italy Namibia Canada Pool C England France Argentina USA Tonga Pool D Australia Wales Georgia Fiji Uruguay
Follow our Rugby World Cup homepage which we update regularly with news and features.

Also make sure you know about the Groups, Warm-ups, Dates, Fixtures, Venues, TV Coverage, Qualified Teams by clicking on the highlighted links.

Finally, don't forget to follow Rugby World on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Samoa went through to Japan 2019 as the Play-off Winner with a comfortable aggregate win over two legs against Germany.

Namibia secured the Africa 1 qualifying spot and a place in Pool B by winning the Africa Gold Cup, which also involved Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Repechage tournament was played in November 2018 in Marseille and involved four teams - Canada, Germany, Africa Gold Cup runners-up Kenya and Hong Kong, who won the Asia Championship and then beat the Cook Islands in a play-off.

Canada won the tournament and secured their place in the World Cup.

These are the Rugby World Cup groups for Japan 2019 as they stand:

Rugby World Cup Groups
Pool A Ireland Scotland Japan Russia Samoa Pool B New Zealand South Africa Italy Namibia Canada Pool C England France Argentina USA Tonga Pool D Australia Wales Georgia Fiji Uruguay
Follow our Rugby World Cup homepage which we update regularly with news and features.

Also make sure you know about the Groups, Warm-ups, Dates, Fixtures, Venues, TV Coverage, Qualified Teams by clicking on the highlighted links.

Finally, don't forget to follow Rugby World on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

What's inside Rugby World's July 2019 issue?

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Rugby World Cup Groups for the 2019 tournament in Japan

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A rundown of the Rugby World Cup groups for the 2019 tournament in Japan Rugby World Cup Groups The 2019 Rugby World Cup runs from Friday 20 September to Saturday 2 November, with games played across Japan. This page has all you need to know with regards the four pools at the tournament.

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For 30 years, the "Just Do It" mantra has been a motivational call for athletes nationwide, across all sports, and all levels of play. To celebrate that rich diversity, the second film in the JDI series, "Dream Crazy," focuses on a collection of stories that represent athletes who are household names and those who should be. The common denominator: All leverage the power of sport to move the world forward.

Along with inspirational pros - LeBron James, Serena Williams, Odell Beckham Jr., Eliud Kipchoge - in this film, you'll meet incredible athletes: 29-year-old basketball phenom and wheelchair athlete Megan Blunk, who took gold in Rio in 2016; Isaiah Bird, who was born without legs, and at 10 years old has become the one to beat on his wrestling team; Charlie Jabaley - an Ironman who made over his life by dropping 120 pounds, going vegan, and in the process, reversed the growth of a life-long brain tumor; and Michigander Alicia Woollcott, who simultaneously played linebacker and was named homecoming queen during her high school senior season.

Additional appearances are made by emerging professional athletes and world champions alike: Canadian soccer star Alphonso Davies; Hawaiian big wave surfer Kai Lenny; American skateboarders Lacey Baker and Nyjah Huston; German champion boxer Zeina Nassar; and U.S. Soccer's Women's National Team.

Narrated by Colin Kaepernick, "Dream Crazy" provides encouragement to everyone who has crazy dreams and goals that may seem unsurmountable.

For more details, go to nike.com/justdoit; to view all the campaign posters click HERE.

Click HERE to see the first Just Do It film in the series, "Voice of Belief," celebrating Serena Williams and her return to the biggest stage in tennis.

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For 30 years, the "Just Do It" mantra has been a motivational call for athletes nationwide, across all sports, and all levels of play. To celebrate that rich diversity, the second film in the JDI series, "Dream Crazy," focuses on a collection of stories that represent athletes who are household names and those who should be.

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The only sport in the Olympics where Men can't compete

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Smashing Stereotypes in Synchronized Swimming

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Something interesting to think about. Violence occurring because of rivalry between sports teams

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Up to 200 people were involved in a brawl between Tongan and Samoan league fans - featuring weapons including a machete, pole and sticks - that led to six arrests.

Tensions again flared between Tongan and Samoan fans last night after a young fan was seen burning a Samoan flag.

The burning triggered a crowd of stick-and-pole welding fans to fight each other in a carpark at Otara Mall.

Six people were arrested for disorderly behaviour and possession of offensive weapons, including a machete, in the South Auckland suburb, police said.

Community leaders' pleas for peace are being ignored as fresh outbreaks of violence have become a daily occurrence in the lead-up to the Tonga v Samoa Rugby League World Cup clash in Hamilton on Saturday.

A police spokeswoman said the group were allegedly armed with poles and sticks and were part of a crowd of between 150 and 200 people on Thursday night.

The arrests follow several days of violence in the lead-up to a crucial Rugby League World Cup game in Hamilton between Samoa and Tonga.

Video has circulated online of a mass street brawl in nearby Otahuhu, and there have also been reports of violence in Otara.

Tongan Advisory Board Chair Malino Mako and Manukau Ward Councillor Efeso Collins, from Samoa, appeared on The AM Show today pleading with supporters to behave.

"I just think this is excitement gone overboard and it's encouraging our young people especially to learn how to channel this," Collins said.

"This is young people trying to manage their impulses and when you get so excited it boils over."

Mako said rivalry was not a bad thing - but it had to be kept "in the spirit of the game".

"We need to let the rivalry be on the field.

"At the moment there are a few people who are tainting that respect. We don't need that.

Mako said the brawls mainly involve young people, "but it's also middle-aged".

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Six arrested in Otara ahead of Samoa-Tonga league match

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Up to 200 people were involved in a brawl between Tongan and Samoan league fans - featuring weapons including a machete, pole and sticks - that led to six arrests. Tensions again flared between Tongan and Samoan fans last night after a young fan was seen burning a Samoan flag.

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A social Auckland football league is pledging to dish out bans and fines for threatening behaviour towards referees.

The Auckland Sunday Football Association has warned players after a ref stepped down after being threatened on-field for the third time this season.

A former player also spoke to the Herald about a recent game that was abandoned when it disintegrated into a mass brawl.

The association said it will not stand for the behaviour and it has already banned an offending player for two years.

In a post on its Facebook page, the organisation announced the departure of a long-standing referee and said threatening behaviour on the field had to stop.

"Players and teams can expect monetary fines, points deductions and extended bans for behaviour of this type. Previous incidents of this nature will be revisited and retrospective punishments may be applied. If anyone thinks this type of behaviour is acceptable you are playing in the wrong competition.

The post said the banned player and spat in a ref's face.

'We were shocked and disappointed'

Competitions manager Trevor Brook said the association is investigating one report of abuse but two others were not reported.

"From what we have been told, it was threatening behaviour - no violent action occurred. Needless to say we were shocked and disappointed that an individual thought it acceptable to behave in this manner, as were his teammates," he said.

Although abusive behaviour was "extremely infrequent" the association had zero tolerance towards violence and disrespect.

"There is no place in our, and in any sport, for individuals who think the playing field and surrounds is their own personal domain where they are free to behave as they wish.

"We will not permit the competition to be denigrated by the actions of a very small number of miscreant individuals."

He said punishments are considered on a case by case basis.

Auckland Football Federation chief executive Steven Upfold said he was aware of referee abuse in the social competition this season.

"Referee abuse is something AFF take extremely seriously and we would fully support any sanctions the ASFA determine appropriate," he said.

Huge brawl sparks walk outs

A former football player, who played in the league on and off for the past five seasons, told the Herald he quit the sport after a game erupted into a "full-on brawl" this year.

The player, who wished to remain anonymous, said there was no official referee for the game, so a member of the opposition team was refereeing.

"All of a sudden a full-on brawl broke out. There were people lying on the floor, being kicked in the head. I just left."

The most bizarre thing came at the end of the brawl, he said.

"The two captains came together and said we can't tell the association about this, and then decided the outcome of the game with a coin flick. That is meant to be social football."

Over the past five years there had always been some aggression, but this year was particularly bad, he said.

"A lot of the players will bring their kids along to watch the games. It becomes taught behaviour, if you see your dad doing something like that.

"Another person I know had someone threaten to kill them during a game. It is just not worth it," he said.

The contrast of two leagues

A player involved in the New Zealand Christian Football Association (NZCFA) Saturday league said the contrast between the leagues could not be stronger.

In the Saturday league, players received a straight red card for offences like swearing, which included a fine and a further one-match ban, the player said.

Association chairman Andrew Scarr said punishments for the individuals is needed but responsibility falls on team management and captains to ensure players are made well aware of what is acceptable and what isn't.

CEO of Sport NZ Peter Miskimmin, the government agency responsible for oversight and leadership of the sport and recreation sector. Photo / Supplied

"NZCFA has zero tolerance for violence and abuse on and off the pitch and these incidences will incur instant red cards and further follow up. We uphold a league that is open to everyone from all walks of life and one that is safe and inclusive," he said.

'We want everyone to play with enjoyment'

Sport New Zealand chief executive Peter Miskimmin it was important that at everyone involved in sport; irrespective of whether a player, coach, or referee, enjoyed themselves.

"The old thing about sport is that it evokes passion, people love it and they are passionate about it, but the flip side of passion can be that people get carried away and make ill informed or irresponsible decisions towards referees or other players.

"That takes away the enjoyment for other people and that in no way can be condoned."

Miskimmin said s number of organisations were working to emphasise the positives of sports and ensure that people come along to enjoy it.

Auckland Sport & Recreation (Aktive) CEO Sarah Sandley said they were disappointed and concerned to hear of abuse.

"Poor sideline behaviour is damaging for everyone - players, coaches, referees, and spectators. What's more, this type of behaviour has a significant negative effect on children and their sporting experience."

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Auckland referee quits football after threats on pitch

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A social Auckland football league is pledging to dish out bans and fines for threatening behaviour towards referees. The Auckland Sunday Football Association has warned players after a ref stepped down after being threatened on-field for the third time this season.

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Men vs Silver Ferns

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Silver Ferns to play men's team in World Cup warm-up

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The Silver Ferns are set to face the New Zealand Invitation Men's Netball team in a World Cup preparation match. The historic game will be part of the upcoming International Netball Series, with the Silver Ferns also set to face the Fiji Pearls and an All Stars side at Pulman Arena in June.

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Nike "I Am Not a Role Model" commercial w/Charles Barkley - 1993

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Feilding company Powas Rugby World Cup in Japan

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A Feilding company has scored a major coup by picking up a contract to supply gear for this year's Rugby World Cup in Japan. Powa Products will supply scrum machines, corner flags, goal post pads, hit shields, body armour and training aids such as drink bottles for the global tournament in September.

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He's been let off lightly committing violence in society, is he more likely to carry this behaviour onto the sports field?

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A charge against All Black Julian Savea of assaulting his partner, Dawn Rodgers, has been withdrawn by a Wellington District Court judge after he completed police diversion.

Savea, 22, was not required to be present at court. Savea completed a police programme designed to prevent reoffending.

Withdrawal of the charge means he does not gain a conviction.

In a statement Savea said: "Again I would like to apologise to them all and I would also like to thank those people who have supported them through this difficult time."

Last year, Savea was an anti-violence spokesman for Te Rito Wellington Family Violence Network, an affiliate of the Social Development Ministry's "It's Not OK!" campaign.

"I would also like to apologise publicly to the people from Te Rito Wellington Family Violence Network and Its Not OK whose campaign I fronted.

"I know my actions must have embarrassed them all and I am very sorry about that.

"Finally, I would like to thank the police for the opportunity to complete their anti-violence programme Whakamana Takitini which was incredibly helpful.

"I certainly learnt a lot from the counselling I received at Taeaomanino Trust. I have taken full responsibility for my actions, I am taking every step to change my behaviour and I am now looking forward to the future without violence."

Speaking publicly in April, Savea said the "incident" involved an argument with his partner, with whom he has a daughter.

"I did some things that are wrong, and that I shouldn't have done, and I apologise for that."

The Dominion Post

most popular

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A charge against All Black Julian Savea of assaulting his partner, Dawn Rodgers, has been withdrawn by a Wellington District Court judge after he completed police diversion. Savea, 22, was not required to be present at court. Savea completed a police programme designed to prevent reoffending.

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New research paints a bleak picture of gender bias in New Zealand sports coverage, revealing female gold medallists receive less coverage on average across their career than male athletes that have not achieved the same level of success.

Researchers have long recognised that gender influences the visibility of sport in the public. Wellington company Dot Loves Data sought to quantify the disparity in coverage in the mainstream print media, undertaking a comprehensive data analysis.

Using a text mining tool to count references to every athlete that has represented New Zealand at an Olympic or Commonwealth Games, the researchers calculated the number of mentions each athlete received in addition to the baseline average.

It found that any male competitor receives an additional 4.4 mentions on average, while a female gold medallist receives 3.7 mentions. Male gold medallists receive more than double the additional coverage of their female counterparts, with 8.1 mentions.

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The research, which did not take in the most recent Commonwealth Games, analysed nearly 42,000 written articles dating back to 1902.

Paul Bracewell, a partner at Dot Loves Data, said by tracking the number of mentions each athlete receives, it paints a clearer picture of the disparity.

"What the team tried to do with the statistical techniques that we used, we tried to make sure we ruled out as much information as possible, so we could get a clearer picture of what is going on," said Bracewell, who led the research project.

"So all things being equal, are those factors around medal or gender having more of an impact?"

Bracewell said while he expected there to be a gap in coverage, he was not prepared for the gender bias to be as glaring as it was.

"Especially when you go through and consider the difference between gold medal winners, that was a big surprise," he said.

New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary general Kereyn Smith said the organisation's own research has shown notable improvement in the balance of coverage during Games periods, but she believes there is still a massive gap in coverage outside of those times.

"I think more generally on an average week there is still a large discrepancy between the amount of coverage given to female athletes and teams."

The Dot Loves Data research sheds light on that discrepancy, with the numbers indicating male athletes are being tracked more closely across their careers. Their competitions and performances outside of Games periods garner more media coverage.

Double Olympic medallist Jo Aleh, who stood atop the podium alongside 470 sailing partner Polly Powrie at the London Olympics in 2012, said for the pair, a gold medal didn't prove a catalyst for widespread coverage of their results and performances.

"We got a lot of coverage at the Games, and then we came home and there were parades and things but then two weeks later it was pretty much back to normal," said Aleh, who with Powrie picked up a silver medal four years later in Rio.

"I probably thought it would change things a little bit more, and for some people it really has, but for us, it didn't really increase our profile in the media."

Aleh believes that had an impact on the pair's ability to attract sponsors and endorsement deals.

"We had some really good sponsors who wanted to help out with gear and other things, but in terms of getting those big commercial sponsors, it helps if you have a big ready-built profile."

Bracewell said now they have a clear picture of the numbers, the next step in the research is to look at the differences in sentiment and tone of the coverage.

This is an area the NZOC has been looking at closely in recent years as part of its efforts to improve the positioning of women's sport both domestically and globally.

Smith said while their own research has found the gap is narrowing when it comes to the quantity of coverage during Games periods, there is still a marked difference in the way stories are presented.

"What we were able to identify around the Rio 2016 Games campaign was that there were differences in terms of where and how females athletes were spoken about. For example, it was more likely that the front page and lead stories in the news bulletins would be about male athletes," said Smith.

"When it comes to the telling of the story, female athletes were significantly more likely to be spoken for by another person, and often that would be a coach or a staff member or family member, so that was something different in the presentation. They're also more likely to be photographed with another person, to be seen as more of a collective rather than an individual success."

Bracewell said the analysis of articles featuring Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes found the NZ Herald's coverage was "slightly more equal" than Stuff's. A total of 23,503 articles were analysed from the NZ Herald's digital archive, while just 7638 articles were sourced from Stuff.

Stuff editorial director Mark Stevens said the findings indicate sports newsrooms must do better.

"The numbers are more of a disappointment than a surprise, and it's on us as a media organisation and industry to level the playing field, so to speak," said Stevens.

"To me, we have two issues to tackle. Firstly, we're not paying enough attention and dedicating enough reporting to women in sport. Things are changing - and I think more recent data would reflect that."

"But, secondly, we also don't have enough female voices in sport departments either. There's been a conscious effort in the last wee while to balance that but at the moment newsroom numbers still remain very stacked in favour of male journalists and male columnists.

"One of the key responsibilities I have is to ensure that our journalism better mirrors our audience. Our readers and viewers are extraordinarily diverse and it's vital to me that our content properly reflects that."

A full paper on the company's research, which has been peer-reviewed, will be presented at a MathSport conference in July on the Sunshine Coast.

- Stuff

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New study reveals stark gender bias in sports coverage

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New research paints a bleak picture of gender bias in New Zealand sports coverage, revealing female gold medallists receive less coverage on average across their career than male athletes that have not achieved the same level of success. Researchers have long recognised that gender influences the visibility of sport in the public.

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More than a year has passed since Spark and TVNZ won the rights to broadcast the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year, yet questions remain regarding how they will deliver the event for Kiwis. Robert van Royen caught up with Spark Sport boss Jeff Latch to see how they're tracking less than four months out from kickoff.
"What about the some 40,000 households which don't have access to broadband capable of streaming the Rugby World Cup?"

Spark Sport boss Jeff Latch knew the question was coming. After all, just who will or won't be able to stream the tournament in Japan later this year has been a hot topic since they and TVNZ announced they had won the rights to broadcast the tournament in April last year.

Despite the Rural Broadband Initiative making progress, the reality is about 40,000 rural households across the country will not be able to hook into Spark Sport's streaming coverage of the event.

That's because they don't have a broadband (fibre, copper or wireless) internet connection with a download speed of 15 megabytes per second, which Spark recommends to stream high definition (HD) content. They are not streaming the tournament in 4K definition.

READ MORE:
* Rugby World Cup: full schedule
* Spark pass first rugby test
* Something new for historic clash
* Sky's the limit for Spark Sport
* Technical troubles strike again
* Spark names its RWC price

Latch is quick to remind the limitations won't stop anyone in New Zealand from being able watch the All Blacks, given their four pool matches will be broadcast on free-to-air television, albeit delayed by an hour.

Should the All Blacks advance to the quarterfinals, their first-round playoff will also be broadcast (delayed) on free-to-air television.

Both semifinals and the final will be televised live on TVNZ 1.

However, those who want to watch all the All Blacks' matches live, will need Spark Sport's service, and have the means to stream it.

Where can people go if they can't stream or don't want to sign up themselves?

Pubs, clubs and schools are being encouraged to start gearing up now.

In addition to offering domestic prices to pubs and clubs to encourage them to sign up, Spark are working closely with schools.

"Schools all have fibre around New Zealand," Latch said.

"There is some really nice opportunities for schools to actually contribute and participate in terms of bringing Rugby World Cup coverage in some areas which might be challenged in terms of fast broadband."

Since Spark announced price and package details last month, there had been a "huge" amount of interest from pubs and clubs up and down the country.

"Within the next few weeks, we're actually going to provide some advice in terms of devices and what they might want to look at running internally to deliver," Latch said.

The future

Like it or not, streaming sport will soon become the norm.

Many Kiwis are already accustomed to streaming content, given the popularity of on-demand entertainment services such as Netflix and Spark's Lightbox.

"But there is a rump of people that are still not that savvy or conversive with it, so we are producing material to help them out so they can get there," Latch said.

He realises many of those are elderly and producing how-to-do material will only go so far.

So Spark also plan to tap into families in the coming months, by encouraging those in the know to get the unfamiliar folk up to speed via an "adopt a parent or grandparent" initiative.

It's not only about ensuring their internet is up to scratch, but ascertaining they have a device capable of connecting to Spark Sport, and knowing how to beam coverage from devices such as laptops and phones onto non-smart TVs.

"We're going to have nine different options for people in terms of apps, in terms of getting Spark Sport. And beyond that, we absolutely will be looking at other options, including [making] gaming consoles [compatible in the future]," Latch said.

While Latch would not reveal specific details, the number of people who had purchased the Rugby World Cup pass since the early bird deal ($59.99) went on sale last month had exceeded expectations.

"We're delighted. In fact, we couldn't believe how many we got in the first week, prior to any sort of advertising from us," he said.

"Thousands of people came in immediately . . . and those numbers show no sign of slowing at all. We're just continuing to grow."

Users will not be able to share account details and concurrently stream from the same account.

Reliable streaming

The primary concern punters have expressed since Spark and TVNZ won the rights was regarding the reliability of the coverage.

With Optus' mega streaming fail across the ditch during last year's Fifa World Cup fresh in punters' minds, there remains skepticism regarding Spark's ability to deliver live rugby free of buffering problems.

"The industry as a whole is actually working collaboratively to sure that everyone's networks right across the country are the best they can possibly be, and expanded wherever possible to ensure more people have the opportunity for fast broadband," Latch said.

"We've looked at almost all of the major [sports streaming] players available globally."

That includes big guns such as NFL Game Pass, NBA League Pass and UFC Fight Pass, all of which are popular among Kiwi fans of gridiron, basketball and mixed martial arts.

While Spark Sport has been streaming sports such as Formula 1, NBA and hockey for sometime, they passed their first rugby test last weekend, when they streamed a first XV match between Auckland Grammar School and King's College.

"We've got a number of opportunities to learn and fine-tune and improve over the next few months. And certainly that was the first cab off the rank, so we were really pleased with that one," Latch said.

Should things turn to custard in the form of a "widespread and significant issue", Spark's contingency plan will swing into gear and matches will be broadcast on TVNZ Duke.

Users will chew through about 4.5 gigabytes (GB) of data when they stream a rugby match in HD, meaning anyone wanting to watch all 48 games in Japan will gobble up about 216GB.

Asked if Spark planned to offer free data to its broadband customers, Latch hinted a move was in the pipeline to incentivise their customers.

How live is live?

The footage customers stream onto their devices will be about 30 seconds old.

In comparison, the delay is usually between 6-8 seconds with broadcast television, meaning when games are simulcast on Spark Sport and TVNZ, there will be a 22 odd second difference.

"We don't think that's actually a big deal, because the vast majority of the matches in the Rugby World Cup are only going to be available live on us. So it won't be easy for people to actually have something comparable," Latch said.

The increased delay was for the most part unavoidable due to technological limitations, although Latch expected it would undoubtedly diminish with time.

"But it's also partly because we want to make sure we've got high quality, high definition signals. So part of the delay is due to the fact we really wanted to be the highest quality possible."

The Rugby World Cup kicks off on September 20 (NZT), when hosts Japan play Russia, and wraps up on November 2.

AT A GLANCE

RUGBY WORLD CUP STREAMING

COST

$59.99 if sign up by May 31
$79.99 between June 1 and September 10
$89 between September 20 and November 2
$24.99 for match passes
* 30-day free trial available

WHAT THE TOURNAMENT PASS INCLUDES

- 48 games live and on demand for 30 days following the match
- Highlights packages
- Access to a range of historic Rugby World Cup matches.

LIST OF FREE GAMES ON TVNZ 1 AND SPARK SPORT

September 20, Japan v Russia: Live
September 21, NZ v South Africa: Delayed by 1 hour
September 28, Tonga v Argentina: Live
October 2, NZ v Canada: Delayed by 1 hour
October 4, South Africa v Italy: Live
October 6, NZ v Namibia: Delayed by 1 hour
October 9, Fiji v Wales: Live
October 12, NZ v Italy: Delayed by 1 hour
One quarter final: To be confirmed, but will feature the All Blacks, provided they qualify for the knock-out stage: Delayed by 1 hour
October 26, semifinal: Live
October 27, semifinal: Live
November 2, final: Live

* FREE AND DELAYED BY 2 HOURS ON SPARK SPORT ONLY: Fiji v Uruguay (September 25) and Scotland v Samoa (September 30).

WHAT YOU NEED TO STREAM

- A broadband (fibre, wireless or copper) internet connection. To stream in high definition (HD) it will need to provide a download speed of 15 megabytes per second. However, if your internet speed is lower than this, the quality will adjust accordingly.

- A suitable internet plan. You will use about 4.5 gigabytes of data per match.

- A device capable of accessing Spark Sport. These include selected smart TVs, smart mobile devices, laptops, tablets, Chromecast and Apple TV. Spark plan to soon announce more options.

NOTE: As with all streaming services, the quality can be impacted by the number of people using the internet in your house or neighbourhood.

HOW TO CONNECT A DEVICE TO A TV

- Those without smart TVs, can connect a laptop or tablet to their television with a HDMI cable.

- Users can also make a wireless connection between their laptop, tablet and smart phones and TV with a Chromecast (about $60) device, which plugs into a HDMI port.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rugby World Cup: Spark's plan for the 40,000 households who can't live stream All Blacks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
More than a year has passed since Spark and TVNZ won the rights to broadcast the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year, yet questions remain regarding how they will deliver the event for Kiwis. Robert van Royen caught up with Spark Sport boss Jeff Latch to see how they're tracking less than four months out from kickoff.

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2019 Rugby World Cup - Opportunities and Challenges for Japan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At a BCCJ breakfast session on 25 February 2016, Neil Snowball, Chief Operating Officer for England Rugby 2015, Head of Sport Operations at the 2012 London Olympics, shared his experiences from the Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2015 and spoke to BCCJ members and guests about the impact a large-scale global sporting event can have on local communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
More than a year has passed since Spark and TVNZ won the rights to broadcast the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year, yet questions remain regarding how they will deliver the event for Kiwis. Robert van Royen caught up with Spark Sport boss Jeff Latch to see how they're tracking less than four months out from kickoff.
"What about the some 40,000 households which don't have access to broadband capable of streaming the Rugby World Cup?"

Spark Sport boss Jeff Latch knew the question was coming. After all, just who will or won't be able to stream the tournament in Japan later this year has been a hot topic since they and TVNZ announced they had won the rights to broadcast the tournament in April last year.

Despite the Rural Broadband Initiative making progress, the reality is about 40,000 rural households across the country will not be able to hook into Spark Sport's streaming coverage of the event.

That's because they don't have a broadband (fibre, copper or wireless) internet connection with a download speed of 15 megabytes per second, which Spark recommends to stream high definition (HD) content. They are not streaming the tournament in 4K definition.

READ MORE:
* Rugby World Cup: full schedule
* Spark pass first rugby test
* Something new for historic clash
* Sky's the limit for Spark Sport
* Technical troubles strike again
* Spark names its RWC price

Latch is quick to remind the limitations won't stop anyone in New Zealand from being able watch the All Blacks, given their four pool matches will be broadcast on free-to-air television, albeit delayed by an hour.

Should the All Blacks advance to the quarterfinals, their first-round playoff will also be broadcast (delayed) on free-to-air television.

Both semifinals and the final will be televised live on TVNZ 1.

However, those who want to watch all the All Blacks' matches live, will need Spark Sport's service, and have the means to stream it.

Where can people go if they can't stream or don't want to sign up themselves?

Pubs, clubs and schools are being encouraged to start gearing up now.

In addition to offering domestic prices to pubs and clubs to encourage them to sign up, Spark are working closely with schools.

"Schools all have fibre around New Zealand," Latch said.

"There is some really nice opportunities for schools to actually contribute and participate in terms of bringing Rugby World Cup coverage in some areas which might be challenged in terms of fast broadband."

Since Spark announced price and package details last month, there had been a "huge" amount of interest from pubs and clubs up and down the country.

"Within the next few weeks, we're actually going to provide some advice in terms of devices and what they might want to look at running internally to deliver," Latch said.

The future

Like it or not, streaming sport will soon become the norm.

Many Kiwis are already accustomed to streaming content, given the popularity of on-demand entertainment services such as Netflix and Spark's Lightbox.

"But there is a rump of people that are still not that savvy or conversive with it, so we are producing material to help them out so they can get there," Latch said.

He realises many of those are elderly and producing how-to-do material will only go so far.

So Spark also plan to tap into families in the coming months, by encouraging those in the know to get the unfamiliar folk up to speed via an "adopt a parent or grandparent" initiative.

It's not only about ensuring their internet is up to scratch, but ascertaining they have a device capable of connecting to Spark Sport, and knowing how to beam coverage from devices such as laptops and phones onto non-smart TVs.

"We're going to have nine different options for people in terms of apps, in terms of getting Spark Sport. And beyond that, we absolutely will be looking at other options, including [making] gaming consoles [compatible in the future]," Latch said.

While Latch would not reveal specific details, the number of people who had purchased the Rugby World Cup pass since the early bird deal ($59.99) went on sale last month had exceeded expectations.

"We're delighted. In fact, we couldn't believe how many we got in the first week, prior to any sort of advertising from us," he said.

"Thousands of people came in immediately . . . and those numbers show no sign of slowing at all. We're just continuing to grow."

Users will not be able to share account details and concurrently stream from the same account.

Reliable streaming

The primary concern punters have expressed since Spark and TVNZ won the rights was regarding the reliability of the coverage.

With Optus' mega streaming fail across the ditch during last year's Fifa World Cup fresh in punters' minds, there remains skepticism regarding Spark's ability to deliver live rugby free of buffering problems.

"The industry as a whole is actually working collaboratively to sure that everyone's networks right across the country are the best they can possibly be, and expanded wherever possible to ensure more people have the opportunity for fast broadband," Latch said.

"We've looked at almost all of the major [sports streaming] players available globally."

That includes big guns such as NFL Game Pass, NBA League Pass and UFC Fight Pass, all of which are popular among Kiwi fans of gridiron, basketball and mixed martial arts.

While Spark Sport has been streaming sports such as Formula 1, NBA and hockey for sometime, they passed their first rugby test last weekend, when they streamed a first XV match between Auckland Grammar School and King's College.

"We've got a number of opportunities to learn and fine-tune and improve over the next few months. And certainly that was the first cab off the rank, so we were really pleased with that one," Latch said.

Should things turn to custard in the form of a "widespread and significant issue", Spark's contingency plan will swing into gear and matches will be broadcast on TVNZ Duke.

Users will chew through about 4.5 gigabytes (GB) of data when they stream a rugby match in HD, meaning anyone wanting to watch all 48 games in Japan will gobble up about 216GB.

Asked if Spark planned to offer free data to its broadband customers, Latch hinted a move was in the pipeline to incentivise their customers.

How live is live?

The footage customers stream onto their devices will be about 30 seconds old.

In comparison, the delay is usually between 6-8 seconds with broadcast television, meaning when games are simulcast on Spark Sport and TVNZ, there will be a 22 odd second difference.

"We don't think that's actually a big deal, because the vast majority of the matches in the Rugby World Cup are only going to be available live on us. So it won't be easy for people to actually have something comparable," Latch said.

The increased delay was for the most part unavoidable due to technological limitations, although Latch expected it would undoubtedly diminish with time.

"But it's also partly because we want to make sure we've got high quality, high definition signals. So part of the delay is due to the fact we really wanted to be the highest quality possible."

The Rugby World Cup kicks off on September 20 (NZT), when hosts Japan play Russia, and wraps up on November 2.

AT A GLANCE

RUGBY WORLD CUP STREAMING

COST

$59.99 if sign up by May 31
$79.99 between June 1 and September 10
$89 between September 20 and November 2
$24.99 for match passes
* 30-day free trial available

WHAT THE TOURNAMENT PASS INCLUDES

- 48 games live and on demand for 30 days following the match
- Highlights packages
- Access to a range of historic Rugby World Cup matches.

LIST OF FREE GAMES ON TVNZ 1 AND SPARK SPORT

September 20, Japan v Russia: Live
September 21, NZ v South Africa: Delayed by 1 hour
September 28, Tonga v Argentina: Live
October 2, NZ v Canada: Delayed by 1 hour
October 4, South Africa v Italy: Live
October 6, NZ v Namibia: Delayed by 1 hour
October 9, Fiji v Wales: Live
October 12, NZ v Italy: Delayed by 1 hour
One quarter final: To be confirmed, but will feature the All Blacks, provided they qualify for the knock-out stage: Delayed by 1 hour
October 26, semifinal: Live
October 27, semifinal: Live
November 2, final: Live

* FREE AND DELAYED BY 2 HOURS ON SPARK SPORT ONLY: Fiji v Uruguay (September 25) and Scotland v Samoa (September 30).

WHAT YOU NEED TO STREAM

- A broadband (fibre, wireless or copper) internet connection. To stream in high definition (HD) it will need to provide a download speed of 15 megabytes per second. However, if your internet speed is lower than this, the quality will adjust accordingly.

- A suitable internet plan. You will use about 4.5 gigabytes of data per match.

- A device capable of accessing Spark Sport. These include selected smart TVs, smart mobile devices, laptops, tablets, Chromecast and Apple TV. Spark plan to soon announce more options.

NOTE: As with all streaming services, the quality can be impacted by the number of people using the internet in your house or neighbourhood.

HOW TO CONNECT A DEVICE TO A TV

- Those without smart TVs, can connect a laptop or tablet to their television with a HDMI cable.

- Users can also make a wireless connection between their laptop, tablet and smart phones and TV with a Chromecast (about $60) device, which plugs into a HDMI port.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rugby World Cup: Spark's plan for the 40,000 households who can't live stream All Blacks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
More than a year has passed since Spark and TVNZ won the rights to broadcast the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year, yet questions remain regarding how they will deliver the event for Kiwis. Robert van Royen caught up with Spark Sport boss Jeff Latch to see how they're tracking less than four months out from kickoff.

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Spark Sport has launched it's coverage of this year's Rugby World Cup with an early bird pass this morning.

Spark confirmed pricing for their coverage of this year's tournament in Japan last month and today began taking steps towards the event with the release of their Super Early Bird Tournament Pass for $59.99.

Head of Spark Sport Jeff Latch says fans who want the complete Rugby World Cup experience should take up today's release.

"Tournament Pass holders will get access to full match replays for 30 days following each match, an array of highlights, preview and review programming," Latch said.

"It includes access to a range of historic Rugby World Cup match content as soon as the pass is purchased, giving rugby fans another reason to sign up early and relive the excitement of previous years.

"Spark Sport is the only place rugby fans will be able to watch every single match live; some of the free-to-air matches will be broadcast with a delay on TVNZ. Viewers will also have the flexibility of being able to watch on a wide range of devices."

Archived matches already available include the 1987 semi-finals (All Blacks v Wales, France v Australia), the 1991 All Blacks' 1991 semi-final against Australia as well as the 1991 final (Australia v England). The 1995 semi-final between the All Blacks and England is also available.

All of the archived All Blacks matches also feature interviews by 1 NEWS Sport's Scotty Stevenson with players from the matches.

Spark Sport said more archive matches will be added "in the coming weeks".

The broadcaster added fans who purchase a Tournament Pass then realise for whatever reason they don't want it at any time up to the tournament starting can cancel the pass and get their money back.

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Spark Sport launches Super Early Bird RWC pass featuring archived All Blacks games

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Spark Sport has launched it's coverage of this year's Rugby World Cup with an early bird pass this morning. Spark confirmed pricing for their coverage of this year's tournament in Japan last month and today began taking steps towards the event with the release of their Super Early Bird Tournament Pass for $59.99.

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Provides oppotunities, pathways and careers

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"If the rules of today don't fit then surely sit around a tables and work them out to retain the integrity of the competition."

Both Afoa and Rokocoko also went onto play for the Blues and the All Blacks. Afoa is currently playing professionally in England, while Rokocoko and Kaino are in France.

Current All Blacks winger Rieko Ioane, who played his high school rugby for Auckland Grammar, said he had no issue with St Kentigern, insisting you have to beat the best to be the best.

Ioane was in the Grammar team that beat St Kentigern in the 2014 Auckland 1A final.

"I've seen it all now. Just because they recruit doesn't mean you pull [the] plug. Don't run from the competition.

"St Kents makes first XV competition harder, but it makes it better when you beat them."

St Kentigern head David Hodge was adamant his school had not broken any rules.

"College Sport has a clear set of bylaws that regulate the 1A rugby competition," he said. "These bylaws include strict conditions on the recruitment of players.

"St Kentigern College totally respects and accepts these bylaws, and has, at all times, acted in accordance with them.

"We believe the schools involved in this action have acted out of self-interest and completely independently of College Sport.

"They are acting in contempt of the guidelines and bylaws set down by College Sport, both for the competition and in the manner in which any disputes between schools should be handled."

Newshub.

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Rugby: Jerome Kaino defends St Kentigern College over recruitment

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"If the rules of today don't fit then surely sit around a tables and work them out to retain the integrity of the competition." Both Afoa and Rokocoko also went onto play for the Blues and the All Blacks. Afoa is currently playing professionally in England, while Rokocoko and Kaino are in France.

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Rachel Froggatt is the CEO of Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA) and secretary general of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport Secretariat and Conference, 2018-22.

Comment
There's still so much distance to cover to level the playing field for women and girls in sport and recreation in New Zealand, says Women in Sport Aotearoa CEO Rachel Froggatt.
As I pulled up outside my local coffee shop the other day and got out of my car, an older woman approached me. She pointed at my vehicle branding and asked: "Why does that say 'Women in Sport Aotearoa'? Shouldn't it say 'People in Sport Aotearoa'? I think everybody should have the same access to sport."

In one breath, she had asked, and then perfectly answered, her own question.

Everybody should have the same access to sport. But women and girls in Aotearoa New Zealand do not have equity of opportunity to participate, compete and build careers in sport and recreation. The simple truth is this will not change without proactive help.

The conversation with this inquiring woman then went something along these lines:

Recent research from Sport New Zealand reveals that women only make up 27 percent of directorships in sport and recreation, and hold 40 percent of leadership and management positions. Notable barriers include outdated recruitment practices and unconscious bias.

This research also shows that on average, women and girls are 12 percent less likely to participate in sport and recreation, with the largest barrier being a lack of available, appropriate and safe opportunities in their local communities.

In terms of media, the New Zealand Olympic Committee released research following the 2016 Rio Olympics which showed that only 28 percent of coverage was dedicated to our female athletes.

Around the same time, experts at Cambridge University Press analysed millions of words relating to men and women and how they are described in English language around the Olympics. Words most commonly used in stories about male athletes are: mastermind, battle, fastest, strong and dominate. For stories about female athletes: unmarried, married, ladies, older and pregnant.

And finally, we don't have much research available to show how equitable the system is for diverse groups, such as disabled people, or for those with a different culture, religion or sexual orientation. Or indeed, what happens when this is combined with being female?

Women in Sport Aotearoa are addressing this reality in several ways. Firstly, by working inside the system to challenge the system.

We're sourcing, initiating and distributing research to dispel myths and ideas about the value of women and girls in sport and recreation.

Secondly, we're leading the change by influencing policy and helping sporting organisations understand the economic and social benefit of fostering women in sports leadership roles.

We also act as a voice for the many thousands of women and girls involved in sport and recreation, from participants and competitors through to coaches and volunteers, leaders and directors.

We're increasing visibility by leading positive conversations around gender equity and we're challenging poor behaviours, especially around media coverage. In particular, we're working with some great advocacy organisations who are helping us better understand and tell the stories of diverse groups.

Finally, we are the global delivery agency for the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport Secretariat & Conference 2018-2022. The IWG is the world's largest network dedicated to achieving gender equity in sport and physical activity.

This means we administer key programmes, including the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, which more than 550 global organisations have signed, and we now lead the IWG's relationships with key agencies, including the United Nations and UNESCO.

It also means helping Aotearoa New Zealand and Oceania become proud global leaders by the time over 1500 experts arrive in Auckland for the eighth IWG World Conference in May 2022.

"There are tried and true ways of ensuring that women are at every level; women are always there. We should never accept the excuse that, 'Oh, we couldn't find women to appoint' - Helen Clark.

By the end of the conversation, this inquiring woman was a convert, and wished Women in Sport Aotearoa well in our continuing work raising awareness of these issues and encouraging positive change within our sporting system, and our society as a whole.

I then got back in the car, caffeinated in preparation for day two of a national forum of sport leaders, and reflected on what a timely question this had been.

On day one of the forum, over 100 people gathered. After circling the room twice, I finally managed to find another female leader. As the day went on, our numbers slowly crept up, and by the time I counted again at afternoon teatime, we had reached around 11 percent. It's one thing to understand under-representation in leadership on paper, but quite another to see it in action.

Women in Sport Aotearoa recently held the inaugural IWG Captain's Lunch for sport and business leaders, with the Trans-Tasman Business Circle. The event was a sell-out and is now Aotearoa New Zealand's largest event honouring the athletes, coaches and leaders working to create equity for women and girls across sport and recreation.

Our new patron, the Rt Hon Helen Clark ONZ, took part in a panel where she said: "There are tried and true ways of ensuring that women are at every level; women are always there. We should never accept the excuse that, 'Oh, we couldn't find women to appoint'. They are there.

"In the sports world, there are just stunning women who have come up through the sports stream, and other women in the corporate world who have experience of being directors, who could make a big contribution as well."

So, why are we advocating for women and girls in sport?

Because my inquiring woman outside the coffee shop was right. Everybody should have the same access to sport.
*Women in Sport Aotearoa, Ngā Wāhine Hākinakina o Aotearoa, is New Zealand's leading research and advocacy agency in sport and recreation. It is the delivery agent for the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport Secretariat and Conference 2018 - 2022.

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Why we're challenging the system for equality in sport

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Rachel Froggatt is the CEO of Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA) and secretary general of the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport Secretariat and Conference, 2018-22. Comment There's still so much distance to cover to level the playing field for women and girls in sport and recreation in New Zealand, says Women in Sport Aotearoa CEO Rachel Froggatt.

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Netball New Zealand (NNZ) couldn't have done anything more to secure hosting rights for the 2023 World Cup, chief executive Jennie Wyllie says.

Kiwi netball fans woke up to bad news on Friday with the International Netball Federation (INF) confirming overnight South Africa had triumphed over New Zealand to stage the global tournament.

It will be the first time the Netball World Cup has been contested in the African continent with the event to be held in the coastal city of Cape Town.

Missing out on hosting the tournament is another blow for NNZ with the Silver Ferns having a wretched run over the past 18 months, culminating in a fourth place finish at last year's Commonwealth Games and a damning independent report into the side's downward plight, which ultimately cost national coach Janine Southby her job.

READ MORE:
* New Zealand netball great dies
* Marg Foster joins Silver Ferns
* Battle to host netball's holy grail
* Ferns' World Cup race intensifies
* Rore opens up on Ferns axing

NNZ will celebrate 100 years in 2023 and hosting the World Cup would have been the perfect way to mark that milestone. They would still mark the celebration in a fitting way, Wyllie said.

She was adamant NNZ couldn't have done anything more to topple South Africa's bid. They had strong backing from central and local government and NNZ had a superb history of delivering major netball events, including the 2007 tournament in Auckland at short notice when INF withdrew hosting rights from Fiji following a military coup to unseat the government.

NNZ forecast a budget of around $15 million to host the event. They had secured $4 million from the government's New Zealand Major Events initiative, $2 million from Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) and Sport New Zealand had supported their bid process. The remaining money would have come from commercial revenue, ticketing, and broadcasting.

"We're obviously disappointed. We had a really, really strong bid. It was something we were incredibly proud of and I think we put our best foot forward," Wyllie told Stuff.

"We all know at the moment there's no better time for female empowerment and the focus being on female sport. All of those were real strengths of our bid. The financial sustainability was massive."

NNZ promised safety and equity for all teams competing and delivering a world-class event with no financial risk.

The early feedback from the INF to NNZ had been holding the World Cup in Africa for the first time was a breakthrough moment for the sport and a powerful drawcard in their decision. Cape Town had impressed with their legacy programmes with the Western Cape government committed to creating more than 30 new netball courts in the province by 2023 to enhance participation.

The 2017 Youth Netball World Cup was also contested in Africa in the Botswana capital of Gaborone.

Wyllie hoped the emergence of Malawi and Uganda in world netball and South Africa's pleasing improvement in recent years hadn't been a factor in the decision, as it was about staging a major event successfully.

"The on-court performance really doesn't tie into big decisions like this, this is the pinnacle event for the sport. It needs to be about someone's capability to deliver an event of this magnitude."

Had New Zealand's bid been successful, the tournament would have been held in Auckland across 10 days. Matches would have been contested at the downtown Spark Arena, including the finals, and Eventfinda Stadium, formerly North Shore Events Centre.

Since it began in England in 1963, the world championship of netball has been played in New Zealand three times - in Auckland in 1975, Christchurch in 1999, and Auckland again in 2007.

South Africa will become only the second country after England to host World Cups in football, rugby, cricket and netball.

England is hosting the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool in July.

The 2027 Netball World Cup will no doubt be a target for NNZ after this disappointment. Wyllie said they were always looking at significant international netball events to grow the sport, whether it be the abbreviated Fast5 form or through the Silver Ferns.

"Pinnacle events are always going to be on the radar for Netball New Zealand, so we wouldn't rule [the 2027 World Cup] out.

"There's a long time between now and 2027, so we will look at how we accelerate our brand, how we create awareness for our game and how we look at offshore markets to do that in."

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Netball New Zealand left no stone unturned with failed World Cup bid

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Netball New Zealand (NNZ) couldn't have done anything more to secure hosting rights for the 2023 World Cup, chief executive Jennie Wyllie says. Kiwi netball fans woke up to bad news on Friday with the International Netball Federation (INF) confirming overnight South Africa had triumphed over New Zealand to stage the global tournament.

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Luring the best young rugby players to a school can give them the wrong idea about themselves, Napier Boys' High rugby director Brendon Ratcliffe reckons. He spoke with Kevin Norquay as part of Stuff's Money Ball series.
If you're looking for trouble, you've come to the wrong place.

After decades in the game, Napier Boys' High rugby director Brendon Ratcliffe knows mixing teens, adulation, a lack of rules and money is a recipe for trouble.

"I've seen the carnage from getting priorities out of kilter," he says.

He's having none of that at Napier, as it invests in a new programme it intends to roll out to other sports.

Napier will not import athletic rugby superstars from the Pacific Islands, or offer scholarships. Ratcliffe instead looks for an indefinable quality he calls "character".

"There is no enticement, I am really philosophically opposed to enticement," he says, sounding more philosopher than footballer as he talks about the six-month old programme.

"It is a flawed method to entice and remunerate, before they've really earned it. You can build a level of expectation in the athlete, which is beyond what they've earned."

It is tough for teens to cope with accolade and the social status which comes with it, the former Hawke's Bay provincial coach says.

His key message is simple: "The better you carry yourself, the more you respect your family, the better you engage with people in all areas outside this patch of grass you play on, the better you will perform on it."

While other schools have other philosophies, that is their prerogative, he says. Napier looks for "people first, players second".

It looks for those with natural talent with an ability to work hard, to learn, to remain grounded, to make sacrifices, to follow the rules set for them.

If you want an example of such a player, think Richie McCaw.

READ MORE:
* Money has changed the game
* The first XV that's gone from easybeats to unbeatable

While its programme coaches executing the fundamentals of rugby under time pressure, the key is moulding mental attitude.

"Sure there is an element of rugby, but it's far more about helping grow better young men," Ratcliffe says.

"When they learn to give more of themselves and carry themselves better off the field, they will play better on it."

After coaching at first class level here and in England as assistant to All Blacks "professor" Wayne Smith at Northampton, Ratcliffe is clear on what builds good senior players - and makes bad ones.

As New Zealand Rugby director of player development he masterminded the original NZR academy model, which is now the template for provincial and Super Rugby club academies.

"I know the in and outs of these programmes and have seen the best and the worst of them," he says.

He blames a clunky transition from amateur to professional rugby in the late 1990s for off-field incidents that have troubled the game since.

It was naive of rugby to expect players with scant life skills - he uses the harsh term "social vegetables" - plenty of money, and adulation from their early teens to roll through life untroubled.

And trouble there has been, and still is. Since professional rugby arrived in 1995, elite players have regularly been exposed as behaving badly, with tales of booze, sex, party drugs, even violent assaults.

"We were expecting a person to walk across a white line and become an extreme world class achiever, while there's elements of their life that are in tatters off the field," he says.

So at Napier - last year mid-table in the strong North Island Super 8 competition - the starting point is to teach its 400 players across 17 sides to make good decisions off the field, as well as on it.

"We will be constantly asking them 'are you giving everything you can of yourself, on and off the field?'"

What sets the best players apart - here Ratcliffe cites World Cup-winning All Blacks captain McCaw - is not physique, not speed, but character.

Players will understand their responsibility as "keepers of the NBHS jersey", he has told parents.

"They will learn to commit and dedicate more of themselves than they ever knew they could to this mission... together."

They will learn, or they won't play, is the subtext.

Asked whether the dogged anti-import stance could undermine the long-term career prospects of Napier players, Ratcliffe thinks not.

Anecdotal evidence shows school level success is not a crucial precursor to an outstanding Super Rugby career, he says. If anything the opposite might be the case.

Good players who tasted defeat - as All Blacks captain Kieran Read did at Rosehill College in south Auckland - were inclined to graft to improve their skills, while some of those winning easily had less incentive to work harder.

Nor does Ratcliffe see player agents as vultures swooping on impressionable young men, instead calling them "a very positive part of the game".

He has invited agents to this year speak to his first 15 squad about the challenges of professional rugby.

Napier BHS will this season take 26 players to the inaugural World Rugby Festival at Paarl in South Africa, a tournament former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is involved with.

Ratcliffe is excited by the opportunity this "serious tour" will offer his young charges, not just for the rugby.

He has arranged a visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 18 years, for standing up to apartheid.

As well, they will visit "underprivileged kids" in Cape Town to learn what a tough life really looks like.

Life lessons. Rugby lessons. Hand-in-hand.

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Money Ball: School rugby's poaching problem

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Luring the best young rugby players to a school can give them the wrong idea about themselves, Napier Boys' High rugby director Brendon Ratcliffe reckons. He spoke with Kevin Norquay as part of Stuff's Money Ball series. If you're looking for trouble, you've come to the wrong place.

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Stacked First XV rugby teams contributing to declining participation rates

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Stacked First XV rugby teams contributing to declining participation rates

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Stacked First XV schoolboy rugby teams are leading to decreasing playing numbers in New Zealand.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced on Tuesday the completion of the independent review of New Zealand secondary school rugby.

The resulting report, which can be read in full here, was approved by the NZR board at its December meeting and the implementation of the report's 31 recommendations will begin this month.

The review, which was commissioned in June last year to better understand the various factors affecting the New Zealand secondary school rugby environment, comes after 10 Auckland schools last month said they would not play St Kentigern in this year's 1A competition due to their recruitment policy.

READ MORE:
*It's kids' sport, get a grip
*The schoolboy rugby trap
*A tale of rugby dominance
*St Kents first XV shunned

The report was damning of First XV rugby and the recruitment practices of some schools.

Several people surveyed wrote and spoke about how performance rugby programmes at certain schools impact negatively on their region or their own schools.

"In general, they view the pooling of talent into a few strong rugby schools as a significant factor in the decrease of numbers playing the game because of flow on effects of, for example uneven competitions."

Many respondents in the consultation process believed there needed to be better balance between schools developing their own talent versus bringing in talented players from other schools, provinces, and countries.

There was also agreement more should be done on basic skill development and the holistic development of young men to enable highly talented players to transition and stay in the sport.

"They believe that a sense of self-entitlement is too prevalent in many of the talented young players that they are introduced to."

The report found the number of boys playing rugby in New Zealand at secondary school is trending downwards at an "alarming rate", considering the overall secondary roll had steadily increased in recent years.

The number of boys' and girls' secondary school rugby teams within Auckland Rugby fell from 225 in 2013, to 188 in 2017, and 181 in 2018. North Harbour had 92 secondary boys' and girls' rugby teams in 2014 and 64 in 2018.

The girls' game in New Zealand was experiencing strong growth in numbers, which was generating separate challenges around resourcing, coaching, and acceptance within schools.

Following a contestable process the review was led by EdSol NZ, an educational consultancy company, key recommendations include:

- Establish an advisory group (New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Union) to develop vision, values and strategy for secondary school rugby
- Fulltime NZR Manager of Secondary School Rugby appointed
- Guidelines for both performance and non-performance grades
- Equitable resourcing of girls' rugby in co-ed schools and adequate resourcing in schools where girls' rugby is a "new" sport
- Guidelines for provincial unions and schools on format and form of secondary school rugby grades for both boys and girls

"There is widespread concern over the impacts of player recruitment into selected schools. Some of these consequences may be unintended," it said.

"The perceptions that players are being over-trained, have a sense of entitlement and are denied other sporting opportunities are widely expressed.

"Pathway opportunities for talented schoolgirl players are less evident than in the boys' game. Performance rugby programmes in schools need to consider the wellbeing and holistic development of all participants.

"Parents are acknowledged as being positive contributors to rugby programmes in schools, but may not be aware of the wider impacts of choosing a school for rugby reasons."

Mount Albert Grammar School headmaster Patrick Drumm, the spokesman for the collective of Auckland schools who took a stand over St Kentigern College's recruitment practices late in 2018, said he did not want to comment on the NZ Rugby findings while other investigations are ongoing.

An independent panel is in the process of investigating St Kent's complaints about other schools as a result of the dispute that took place last year when 11 Auckland 1A schools threatened to boycott games involving the private east Auckland institution over what they believed were unacceptable levels of recruitment.

More than 500 people participated in online surveys, 300 in focus groups, and those with an interest in secondary school rugby were involved in consultation meetings, including player agents and Super Rugby clubs.

There was an agreement across all stakeholders that a clear single-focus governance structure for secondary school rugby was adopted. The current structure was "fragmented and confusing".

The report said the "lack of an overarching governance body" was a repeated message they received from stakeholders during the review.

It was also recommended NZR established a clear definition of which grades are considered performance grades, with all other grades recognised as existing primarily to maximise the appeal and benefit participants.

NZR chief rugby officer Nigel Cass acknowledged the review formed part of NZR's commitment to providing a world-leading school rugby system for all of its participants.

"Above all, we want to make sure playing rugby is a fun, safe and positive experience for all our teenage players, no matter where they live or what level they play at. We now understand that some changes will be needed to help us reach that goal and it will take time, and support from schools, teachers and the community."

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Stacked First XV rugby teams contributing to declining participation rates

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Stacked First XV schoolboy rugby teams are leading to decreasing playing numbers in New Zealand. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced on Tuesday the completion of the independent review of New Zealand secondary school rugby. The resulting report, which can be read in full here, was approved by the NZR board at its December meeting and the implementation of the report's 31 recommendations will begin this month.

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He's one of the country's brightest young talents and is out to light up the national sevens tournament in Rotorua this weekend, but Waikato's Sevu Reece will have to remain patient before any New Zealand representative honours come his way.

The 19-year-old Fijian flyer is coming off a whirlwind 2016 and is looking to start this year with a bang as well, however, the pocket-rocket (1.79m, 87kg) with the searing pace and dazzling feet faces almost two more years before he can show his talents on the world stage, as he eyes up a spot at the 2020 Olympics.

Reece moved to New Zealand in 2014 on a scholarship to Hamilton Boys' High School and immediately starred in both sevens and 15s, representing New Zealand Secondary Schools in the latter. Last year, his first out of school, he joined the Melville club, played across the backline, finished as their top points scorer and helped them to their first Waikato championship in 35 years, before stepping up to Mitre 10 Cup level and showing his prowess on the wing for the Mooloos.

But because Reece came here via scholarship, and not off his own bat, there's a three-year stand-down period from the time he finishes school before New Zealand Rugby grant him eligible to wear black. It's understandable, but it's made Reece have to play the waiting game. He would have been a shoo-in for the national Under-20 side, while All Blacks sevens camps have also had to sit tantalisingly in the background.

READ MORE:
* Waikato take confidence into nationals
* Randle confirms absence of two stars
* Waikato learn draw for nationals
* Waikato qualify for nationals as a top seed

But while late 2018 still seems a while away for the talented teen, there seems an old head on young shoulders and he realises the wait can just continue to fuel the fire inside, as he aims to prove himself further.

"It's really hard," he admitted.

"Just thinking about it, it sounds like a long time, but time just flies pretty fast, so [I'll] do whatever comes my way and just keep going."

With the cross-over between sevens and 15s becoming far more common, there's the goal of Super Rugby, with Reece having been unlucky not to be snapped up for this season.

"Now it's a matter of just putting everything into whatever I do, giving my best in sevens and see how things unfold from there, and likewise for 15s, when it goes into 15s it shouldn't be a problem because I'll be all fit and ready," he said.

"For me, personally, I really love playing sevens.

"I just got back from Fiji a couple of days ago and I had talks with my dad and my mum and we were talking about how sevens has become an Olympic sport, and for me at the moment one of my main goals is to make the next Olympics."

Reece's idols are both sevens guns - Fiji's finest, Waisale Serevi, who "everyone looked up to", and former New Zealand captain DJ Forbes, for "not only his work-rate and everything but because he's a big believer in God, and that's what I am too", while Reece's upright running style, neck flicked back, evokes memories of fellow Fijian Joe Rokocoko.

This will be Reece's first taste of the sevens nationals, and in the all-important playmaker role he has already been crucial for his side in two lead-up tournament wins. He's now primed for a sterner test, as Waikato look to claim back the title they relinquished to Counties Manukau last year.

"I'll be expecting way more heat coming from everywhere, at the breakdowns, on attack, on defence," Reece said. "For me, personally, it's just to try and control the game and just take everything easy and don't rush anything."

Waikato co-coach Roger Randle, himself a former winger and New Zealand sevens rep, knows he has a special one in his ranks here, and is delighted with the progress Reece has made in quick time.

"He's exceptional for us," Randle said.

​"He trains well, he's fit, he's got a great skillset, and mentally he's tough too. He's respectful of the opposition but definitely not fearful. So he's got a great mentality for a young fella.

​"It's just a matter of time, if he keeps tracking the way he is, and he remains grounded and humble, and continues to learn the way he is, then the rugby world's his oyster."

AT A GLANCE
National Sevens
Rotorua International Stadium
Saturday-Sunday

Waikato men: Josaan Levien (co-c), Zac Guildford (co-c),Sevu Reece, Ratu Emosi Vucago, Isaac Te Tamaki, Atu Masirewa, Josh Gordon, Tyler Campbell, Luke Masirewa, Jahrome Brown, Louis Rogers, Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara.

Saturday pool draw:
v Southland, 10.25am
v North Harbour, 12.45pm
v Hawke's Bay, 3.35pm

Waikato women: Jordon Webber (c), Honey Hireme, Terina Te Tamaki, Makaia Riki-Te Kanawa, Danielle Paenga, Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Tenika Willison, Rax Anderson Pitman, Lily Pompey, Morgan Morrow, Huia Harding, Montessa Tairakena.

Saturday pool draw:
v Otago, 12.05pm
v North Harbour, 3.15pm
v Manawatu, 5.35pm

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Talented teen Sevu Reece to play the waiting game in winging his way to the top

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He's one of the country's brightest young talents and is out to light up the national sevens tournament in Rotorua this weekend, but Waikato's Sevu Reece will have to remain patient before any New Zealand representative honours come his way.

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New Zealand hosted the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) from 9 September to 23 October 2011. In this article, we examine how hosting the tournament affected the New Zealand economy. We have analysed migration, accommodation, trade, gross domestic product (GDP), and balance of payments (BoP) statistics to show the effects that hosting the tournament had on different sectors of our economy.

As the tournament spanned the September and December 2011 quarters, we have analysed data collected in both quarters. We looked at:

how many visitors came to watch the tournament

how much they spent while here

how New Zealand and the rest of the world watched the tournament

how the tournament affected GDP.

Visitor numbers, accommodation bookings, overall spending, and GDP all rose in the September and December 2011 quarters. The RWC may have contributed to these increases. However, it is difficult to separately identify the impact of the tournament.

All BoP figures quoted are in current prices. All GDP figures quoted are chain-volume measures that have price effects removed.

More visitors came to New Zealand to watch the Rugby World Cup (RWC)

International travel and migration statistics on short-term arrivals and departures clearly show an increase in visitor numbers leading up to and during the RWC. As the graph below shows, arrivals increased significantly between June and October 2011.

Everyone arriving in New Zealand fills out an arrival card, which asks about the purpose for their visit (holiday, business, visiting family). Leading up to the RWC, visitors were also asked whether they were for the RWC. Those who said that they were here for the RWC were classified as 'RWC visitor arrivals' in our statistics.

International travel and migration statistics showed that there were 74,400 RWC visitor arrivals in September 2011, and 53,200 in October 2011. In total, there were 133,200 RWC arrivals between July 2011 and October 2011.

All of these visitors needed somewhere to stay. Statistics from the Accommodation Survey show that total international guest nights rose 21 percent in the September 2011 month compared with September 2010. Guest nights also rose 7.1 percent in the October 2011 month compared with October 2010.

Overall visitor numbers were higher than usual in September and October 2011. Most visitors came from Australia, the United Kingdom, and France. However, visitors from Australia also included 3,500 United Kingdom citizens, 2,300 Irish citizens, 900 South African citizens, and 500 French citizens living in Australia. The graph below shows visitor arrivals, by country.

Visitor arrivals boost transportation exports

When non-residents fly to New Zealand on New Zealand resident airlines, their airfares are captured as an export of transportation services in the balance of payments.

Most RWC visitors arrived in the September 2011 quarter. Seasonally adjusted transportation services exports figures increased $41 million (6.6 percent). Exports of these service decreased $11 million (-1.7 percent) in the December 2011 quarter, but were still higher than previous December quarters.

Visitors spend around $3,400 each

When a non-resident spends money in New Zealand, this is captured as an export of travel services in the balance of payments and national accounts. This includes the amount international visitors spend on internal travel, food and beverages, and accommodation.

The International Visitors Survey, which is based on interviews of tourists leaving New Zealand airports, showed that average spending for adults here for the RWC was around $3,400. If each visitor over the age of 15 spent $3,400, roughly $387 million was spent.

In the BoP for the September 2011 quarter, travel exports were $55 million greater than the September 2010 quarter. In the December 2011 quarter, travel exports increased $140 million compared with the December 2010 quarter. In our statistics, spending on travel is attributed to the quarter when visitors leave New Zealand rather than when they arrive. The increase in the December 2011 quarter was expected, because many people left the country when the RWC ended (in the December 2011 quarter).

Seasonally adjusted exports of travel services increased in both the September and December 2011 quarters. Exports increased $75 million (4.5 percent) and $64 million (3.7 percent), respectively. This is an increase of $139 million during the September and December 2011 quarters.

This increase in exports of travel services is lower than the $387 million that we identified as spending directly attributable to RWC visitors. This could be due to a number of reasons, including the following.

Displacement effect - some visitors who came here for the world cup would have come here anyway. The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) estimates a net increase in spending resulting from RWC visitors alone of between $220 million and $340 million. The MED are currently investigating the impact of the RWC and will release further information in the coming months.

Natural disasters in New Zealand and key visitor markets affecting the travel decisions of non-RWC visitors.

International travel and migration statistics show that the average length of stay remained flat for the months of July-September 2011, but in October 2011 this fell by three days. Visitors stayed for an average of 16 days rather than 19. When we examine the migration statistics alongside spending, it seems that overseas visitors were not only spending more money than usual in October, they were also spending this money in a shorter time frame.

New Zealand pays royalties and license fees to broadcast RWC games

In addition to attending live rugby matches, many people followed the RWC on TV and radio. This was made possible by broadcasting agreements made between NZ resident enterprises and the Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL), who are based in Ireland. New Zealand companies paid Rugby World Cup Limited to be allowed to broadcast each game.

These payments were captured as imports of royalties and license fees in New Zealand's BoP and national accounts. In the September 2011 quarter, royalties and license fees increased $81 million (31 percent). This increase includes sponsorship rights, merchandising rights, and the £55.6 million tournament fee paid to the International Rugby Board (IRB).

In the December 2011 quarter, $20 million less in royalties and license fees were recorded compared with the September 2011 quarter. However, this remains at a high level compared with previous December quarters. This reflects the way we proportioned these transactions over the September and December 2011 quarters. Based on games played in each quarter, 69 percent of these payments were attributed to the September 2011 quarter, and 31 percent to the December 2011 quarter.

Rugby World Cup reflected in gross domestic product (GDP)

The dynamics of spending on New Zealand goods and services boosted gross domestic product (GDP). In the September and December 2011 quarters, GDP increased 0.7 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

The increase primarily came from:

retail spending

accommodation and restaurants activity

Gross domestic product measures the volume of goods and services produced in an economy. We calculate what each separate producer adds to the value of a final product or service. Gross domestic product statistics measure both expenditure and production.

The production measure of GDP measures the volume of goods and services produced in the economy, while the expenditure measure shows how those goods and services were used.

We examined GDP data from the September and December 2011 quarters to see how the RWC affected New Zealand's economy.

Retail, accommodation, and restaurants

Activity in the retail, accommodation, and restaurants industry increased 2.6 percent and 2.2 percent in the September and December 2011 quarters, respectively. In the December quarter, retail, accommodation, and restaurant activity was at its highest quarterly level since the series began in June 1986.

Combined retail trade activity for the September and December 2011 quarters was 5.7 percent higher compared with the same period in 2010. Retail trade includes goods sold by supermarkets, grocery stores, and other goods retailers.

Accommodation and restaurants activity also increased over the September (up 4.7 percent) and December (up 1.9 percent) 2011 quarters. These increases reflect increased numbers of domestic and international RWC spectators and participants who needed places to sleep and eat during the tournament.

Rugby world cup boosts household consumption spending

What New Zealanders spent during the RWC also affected GDP in the September and December quarters. The amount of goods and services used in the economy (expenditure on GDP) increased 1.0 percent in the September 2011 quarter and 0.5 percent in the December 2011 quarter. Household consumption spending contributed to both of these increases. We cannot determine how much RWC-related expenditure contributed to these increases, as it is difficult to isolate the impacts of the RWC from other reasons for expenditure.

Household consumption measures total spending by New Zealand resident households. It includes what New Zealand households spend overseas, but does not include what overseas tourists spend in New Zealand.

Household consumption spending increased 1.6 percent in the September 2011 quarter and 0.8 percent in the December 2011 quarter. The increase in the September quarter was the largest increase since a 2.0 percent increase in the March 2007 quarter. Household consumption expenditure is now at its highest levels since the series began in the June 1986 quarter.

Three components make up total household consumption spending.

Durables -goods that are not consumed in one use. This includes spending on merchandise, souvenirs, and other RWC-related products.

Non-durables - goods that are consumed either immediately in one use or within three years, such as food, alcohol, and petrol.

Services - products other than tangible goods. This reflects spending on transport, recreation, accommodation, and café and restaurant services.

Household spending on non-durable goods increased 3.2 percent in the September 2011 quarter and 0.3 percent in the December 2011 quarter. In both quarters, spending on food and beverages drove the increases. This is consistent with the increase in the amount of goods and services produced in the retail trade sector, which was fuelled by a rise in spending on food and beverages.

Durable goods purchased by New Zealand households increased 1.1 percent in the September 2011 quarter and 4.0 percent in the December 2011 quarter. The increase in the December 2011 quarter results from increased spending on furniture and major appliances, such as televisions. This increase is consistent with the increase in the number of goods and services sold in the retail trade industry.

The volume of household spending on services increased 0.8 percent in the September 2011 quarter and 0.9 percent in the December 2011 quarter. A rise in spending on food and alcohol in restaurants drove the increase in the September 2011 quarter. Increased spending on air travel contributed to the increase in the December 2011 quarter.

Stadium building included in gross fixed capital formation

In preparation for hosting the RWC, New Zealand companies upgraded or built stadiums, other non-residential buildings, and infrastructure. This work happened before the tournament began; any boost to the economy was shown in GDP statistics before the September and December 2011 quarters.

Investment in non-residential building is measured partially using Value of Building Work Put in Place data. Building Work Put in Place data estimates the actual dollar value of building work done on residential and non-residential buildings.

Work is included in gross fixed capital formation as the building takes place; construction of one particular building is spread over several quarters. This makes it difficult to separate stadium building from other building projects that were unrelated to the Rugby World Cup.

Conclusion

In December 2011, we published Treatment of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand's balance of payments and national accounts. This paper explored where the RWC would be seen in our statistics for the upcoming September and December 2011 quarters.

The RWC did contribute to the New Zealand economy, as measured in the BoP and national accounts. The RWC was reflected in the BoP through increases of international visitor arrivals, transportation services exports, international visitor spending, and royalties and license fees services imports.

The RWC was also reflected in the production measure of GDP. This effect was mainly seen in increased activity in the retail, accommodation, and restaurants industries. Household consumption expenditure showed that it wasn't just visitors to New Zealand that spent more during the RWC. New Zealand resident households also contributed to this increase in spending on goods and services.

Footnote

1. This estimate comes with a confidence interval of ± 20 percent.
Back to Economic News: April 2012

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Impact of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand's macro-economic statistics

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New Zealand hosted the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) from 9 September to 23 October 2011. In this article, we examine how hosting the tournament affected the New Zealand economy. We have analysed migration, accommodation, trade, gross domestic product (GDP), and balance of payments (BoP) statistics to show the effects that hosting the tournament had on different sectors of our economy.

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Spark and TVNZ have privately agreed on contingency plans in the event of a major malfunction of a Rugby World Cup broadcast by the telco provider - the most significant of which is the promise that the test will be shown on free-to-air television within five minutes of an outage.

Both organisations are working closely together seven months out from the first World Cup match in Japan after they won the broadcasting rights last year. Under the agreement, Spark will broadcast every match - at a cost to viewers - while TVNZ will show seven matches live, including the competition opener and final, plus several delayed games.

Due to Spark's inexperience in streaming live sports to a potentially huge audience and the failure of Australian telco Optus to satisfactorily broadcast last year's FIFA World Cup, the Weekend Herald understands that the "five-minute" pledge has been agreed in order to reassure the executives of Spark and TVNZ but also, potentially, rugby supporters in New Zealand.

TVNZ steered an inquiry to Spark, who replied via a spokeswoman: "We've previously said that we will have contingency in place for the Rugby World Cup - but we haven't yet announced what form this will take."

It's understood that little-publicised TVNZ channel Duke will be on standby in the event of an emergency, but that if it is an All Black game involved it would probably go straight on to TV1.

Spark have previously reassured Kiwi rugby fans that they will not face similar difficulties to Optus' customers, who were dismayed last year when football World Cup games were constantly disrupted by frozen screens, buffering, service interruptions and error messages.

Optus announced that all games would be simulcast on free-to-air SBS for two days as they worked on solutions, and Spark managing director Simon Moutter said his organisation had learned some important lessons.

"The little silver lining for Spark in the cloud that Optus have confronted over the last few weeks is it's just given us a focal point to say 'don't take this lightly'," Moutter told Radio Sport in June.

Moutter added: "We're technology experts on this stuff and we've got plenty of practice with streaming.

"Remember, we were streaming EPL [English Premier League] several years ago and we're the owners and managers of Lightbox. So we have very clear experience with streaming."

The big unknown is what happens when tens of thousands of viewers tune into the Spark Rugby World Cup app at the same time.

Sky Television are now miles ahead of the competition in New Zealand in terms of broadcasting live sport but their Sky Go app has a history of being less than reliable when big numbers attempt to tune in at once, although they have made improvements to its reliability.

Other questions remain regarding TVNZ's pledge to swap out its regular broadcast for a Rugby World Cup match if needed, including who will be tasked with making that decision, and, for that matter, what is the threshold of complaints for a malfunction to be considered serious enough for that step. Is it an angry group of a dozen complainants on social media or must it be a total system failure?

Making the issue more complicated is the fact that many All Blacks fans in New Zealand are going to have to get to grips with the technology involved in connecting to wifi in order to watch every All Black game live. In some cases they will have to update their televisions.

A comprehensive education plan for armchair experts will be necessary in the build-up to a tournament in which the All Blacks will be seeking their third consecutive triumph while some might just be happy if the worst happens and they get to watch it for free.

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Back-up plan if 2019 Rugby World Cup coverage blacks out

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Spark and TVNZ have privately agreed on contingency plans in the event of a major malfunction of a Rugby World Cup broadcast by the telco provider - the most significant of which is the promise that the test will be shown on free-to-air television within five minutes of an outage.

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World Rugby unveils new global identity, brand proposition and campaign for women's rugby

#TryAndStopUs campaign features 15 inspirational women and girls with 'unstoppable' qualities from around the globe

Huge growth in women's rugby to 2.7 million participants with a 28 per cent increase in registered players since 2017

Biggest ever representation of women on World Rugby Council with 17 female members in position

New www.women.rugby website launched to promote #WomenInRugby

World Rugby has today launched a new 'Women in Rugby' brand identity and landmark global campaign 'Try and Stop Us' aimed at driving increased participation and engagement among fans, audiences, players and investors in the women's game.

The global campaign, developed with the support of national unions and regions, uses striking imagery and the inspiring stories of 15 women and girls involved in rugby at all levels of the game from around the world, who are 'unstoppable'. They have challenged barriers to participation and demonstrated how rugby has empowered them to get where they are today, both on and off the pitch.

"It's an exciting time for women's rugby in Asia"

Our very own @adamilby at the launch of #TryAndStopUs @WorldRugby pic.twitter.com/Gq4DlH82x9

- Asia Rugby (@asiarugby) May 21, 2019

On Wednesday, the World Rugby Council will convene with 17 female members in position for the first time - the largest-ever representation of women on Council - following the transformational governance reform that was introduced in 2017 as a result of World Rugby's ambitious strategic global action plan, Accelerating the global development of women in rugby 2017-25.

Women's rugby is one of sport's great success stories, experiencing unprecedented growth around the world.

Participation levels are at an all-time high with 2.7 million players globally - making up more than a quarter of the global playing population - and a 28 per cent increase in registered players since 2017.

For the second year running, more young girls have got into rugby globally than boys and more than 40 per cent of rugby's 400 million fanbase are female.

World Rugby, in partnership with its unions, is determined to grasp the opportunity and further boost the global game.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: "We firmly believe that the development of women in rugby is the single greatest opportunity for our sport to grow in the next decade, which is why we are proud to share our exciting new brand identity today.

"Not only is women's rugby experiencing unprecedented growth around the world but we are well on the way to realising our vision of a more equitable game for all through the implementation of our ambitious strategic women's action plan, which is having a transformational effect on all areas of the game.

"From the highest levels of the sport's governance to grassroots participation, we are wholly committed to driving gender-balance and ensuring that women have equal opportunities both on and off the field, driving increased involvement and engagement in the women's game from fans, audiences, players and investors."

The unique brand proposition will underpin all women's rugby activity, giving it its own identity and playing a central role in inspiring more women to get involved in the sport, growing the global fan base and attracting more investment into the game.
VIEW THE WOMEN IN RUGBY WEBSITE HERE >>
World Rugby Women's Advisory Committee Chairman Serge Simon said: "Rugby is one of the world's fastest-growing team sports and women are at the heart of the success story. They are driving growth on and off the field, particularly in emerging rugby markets as trailblazers, inspirers and champions.

"The 'Try and Stop Us' campaign focuses on the concept that when you choose rugby, it's not just the game and your team-mates that change your life but also the values of rugby. Through its manifesto and empowering film, the campaign highlights the idea that rugby can help you overcome obstacles in life and make you unstoppable."
WATCH THE MANIFESTO VIDEO HERE >> WATCH THE CAMPAIGN FILM HERE >>
Joining World Rugby leadership at the launch today were three of the 15 Unstoppable global ambassadors: USA Sevens player, Kiki Morgan; World Rugby Council member and English women's rugby pioneer Deborah Griffin; and Irish international Leah Lyons.
VIEW THE FULL LIST OF UNSTOPPABLES AND THEIR INCREDIBLE STORIES HERE >>
World Rugby Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: "By launching this unique brand identity and proposition today we are demonstrating our unwavering commitment to growing participation and exposure for women's rugby around the globe, a core strand of the women in rugby action plan.

"The campaign - Try and Stop Us - is a call to action designed to drive engagement with the women's game by showcasing unstoppable women in rugby around the world. It focuses on celebrating the unique values of rugby and aligns with our overarching message, Rugby Builds Character. We want to communicate to every female across that globe, that when you choose to start playing rugby, it has the power to make you unstoppable."

World Rugby General Manager of Women's Rugby Katie Sadleir added: "We are extremely pleased to share today's significant milestone as we move further towards the full implementation of our 2017-25 strategic women's plan and our vision to accelerate the growth and development of women in rugby around the world.

"Through the dedicated work of the Women's Advisory Committee and across all aspects of the organisation, World Rugby is making swift progress towards the objective of gender balance and equal opportunities throughout the sport, both on and off the field of play."

The campaign has already transcended the world or rugby, gaining support from high profile individuals from the wider sporting and international community including 39 times Grand Slam tennis champion Billie Jean King, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Dame Heather Rabbatts, DBE, first female independent director of The Football Association.
VIEW MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR THE #TRYANDSTOPUS CAMPAIGN >>
More information on the #TryAndStopUs campaign can be found at the new www.women.rugby website launched today with content promoting #WomenInRugby including features on all 15 'unstoppables'.

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World Rugby launches global campaign to revolutionise women's rugby | unstoppable

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World Rugby unveils new global identity, brand proposition and campaign for women's rugby #TryAndStopUs campaign features 15 inspirational women and girls with 'unstoppable' qualities from around the globe Huge growth in women's rugby to 2.7 million participants with a 28 per cent increase in registered players since 2017 Biggest ever

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The ethical quagmire that is schoolboy rugby has been further muddied with Auckland powerhouse St Kentigern College being excluded from next year's Auckland 1A First XV competition.

The stunning turn of events has seen a coalition of schools agree to boycott playing St Kents because of their recruitment policy that has been deemed morally and ethically reprehensible by rival schools.

The fee-paying independent school admitted to recruiting five senior elite players from rival 1st XVs to bolster their squad for 2019.

The Herald understands King's College, another independent fee-paying school, was also put on notice but they have agreed to enact changes to their rugby programme.

"It's a serious issue and it needed a serious response," Mount Albert Grammar School principal Patrick Drumm said. "We needed to take a strong leadership stand as a recruitment strategy like this is not what school sport should be about.

"The integrity and credibility of the competition is challenged by targeting elite players from around the country. We felt the time was right to try to have a moral and ethical discussion and while we had a positive meeting with King's that wasn't the case with St Kents."

The rival principals wrote to Head of St Kentigern College David Hodge on three occasions on November 5, November 26 and as recently as Monday. On each occasion they have been disappointed with the response.

The initial letters invited St Kents to bind themselves to new principles and codes around the recruitment of talent. The last letter was more strident.

"The 10 schools who have led the conversations with you are now of the view that they have given you fair opportunity to respond," the letter states. "It is the immediate decision of each of our schools that in 2019 our 1st XV rugby teams will not now compete against St Kentigern College."

Hodge was contacted for comment but was not available for immediate comment.

The position of the 10 Auckland schools has been broadly supported across the country.

Napier Boys' High School principal Matthew Bertram said what St Kents had been doing was "brazen" and unprecedented and the Super 8 schools he was chair of supported the move.

Napier BHS, who made the final of the national champs this year, have seen their halfback "recruited" by St Kents for next season and although it was disappointing, Bertram said the issue was wider than that.

"They'll [St Kents] just say the family approached them," Bertram said. "That's their party line."

Bertram said that put families in the awkward position of having to lie to maintain the party line and to not burn bridges.

"It's a seductive opportunity. I understand that," Bertram said of the opportunity to board at a private school, "but if they say the educational opportunity is manifestly superior, I have evidence to the contrary."

Bertram said private schools like St Kents were tilting the playing field and going against what building a programme should look like.

'They're not building from the ground up, from year nine to 11. They're going after the superstars and it's brazen."

St Kents were stunned last year when, after emerging through the first phase of the 1A competition undefeated and firm favourites to be crowned champions for the third time in four years, they were defeated at home by St Peter's College in the last minute.

Their aggressive and unprecedented recruitment drive in the last few months is seen by the other 1A schools as a direct response to their failure to win the 2018 title.

There are College Sport, who administer school sport in Auckland, bylaws that restrict schools in the 1A competition from excessive poaching within the wider Auckland region. But St Kent's have circumvented these rules by recruiting from outside the Auckland region and have offered full scholarships to established 1st XV players from Rotorua Boys' High School, Napier BHS, Whangarei BHS, Massey High and St John's in Hamilton.

The non-private schools in the Auckland 1A competition have been increasingly concerned about the integrity and credibility of the competition being eroded and at a meeting late last month the 1A schools agreed on a new set of guiding principles.

At the heart of the new document was a proposal to extend the current rules to apply nationwide. That would mean schools in the 1A can't field more than two players in their team who played for another First XV anywhere in New Zealand.

Those new players would also have to stand down for six games in their first year at the new school and would be ineligible to play in the knock-out rounds of the competition.

St Kentigern refused to sign the new document. King's have signed the guiding principles document but have not agreed to boycott playing St Kents.

Drumm says the 1A door remains open to St Kent's, but only if they are willing to reach some kind of agreement.

New Zealand Rugby this year announced a wide-ranging review into secondary school rugby, with many believing it is a self-serving power-grab to take control of the 1st competitions away from principals.

Whatever the motives, statistics have seen a precipitous drop in participation levels, even with the rapid rise of female participation.

One of the common refrains is that secondary schools have become professionalised and only those kids with a potential pathway in the game receive any encouragement to keep playing.

"Retaining teenagers is a challenge for us and there is work to be done by everyone in the rugby community to ensure they are provided with open, inclusive and fun environments and formats of the game that are relevant to them," said NZR head of participation and development Steve Lancaster when the review was announced.

There is another awkward element to this for the national body: for all the talk of rugby being a great egalitarian pursuit, on one level they like the fact that schools with fat sports budgets can do some of the high-performance heavy lifting for them and can turn out professional-rugby ready talent.

Regardless of where NZR falls on the St Kents issue, there is a growing belief change has to happen and it has to happen quickly.

One secondary school source spoken to who didn't want to go on the record in case it looked like a case of sour grapes, said the situation had gotten out of control. Some provincial state schools, he said, had started sending staff to the intermediate school AIMS games in a futile bid to run interference between the scouts of the big independent schools and the talented kids that would normally fall in their catchment zone.

When you are using already limited resources in that way, the source said, you know the system is damaged.

Another source who had worked in both the professional and amateur arms of the game for more than two decades said schoolboy rugby had developed "a corrupt mindset" that was filtering through to the kids.

"In 10 years' time we're going to be dealing with the fallout from this," the coach said. "Those ideals of putting your hand up, not out, getting what you earn, they're all going. Instead we're developing mercenaries who say, 'What's in it for me?'

"This is far bigger than New Zealand schools rugby at the moment... we're implementing and endorsing a system that's corrupting the game by selling its soul." - additional reporting Kirsty Johnston

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Rugby: Elite Auckland school St Kentigern College kicked out of top rugby competition as rivals promise boycott

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The ethical quagmire that is schoolboy rugby has been further muddied with Auckland powerhouse St Kentigern College being excluded from next year's Auckland 1A First XV competition. The stunning turn of events has seen a coalition of schools agree to boycott playing St Kents because of their recruitment policy that has been deemed morally and ethically reprehensible by rival schools.

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The Government is tackling gender inequality in sport with a new strategy and a $10 million investment.

The strategy was launched by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson at Eden Park this morning, on the United Nations Day of the Girl.

"Our new strategy for Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation seeks to tackle and overcome the clear inequalities for women and girls when it comes to participation, leadership and visibility within sport and active recreation in New Zealand," Ardern said.

Women and girls were underrepresented in leadership, faced more barriers to participating, and were far less valued and visible in sport and active recreation, she said.

"I am pleased we have a strategy to grow female representation in governance, and that the Government is role-modelling change through ensuring Sport NZ and High Performance Sport NZ have equal numbers of men and women on their governance boards."

Robertson said the Government would invest, through Sport NZ, at least $10m over the next three years on initiatives in the strategy, including a marketing campaign and contestable fund and increased efforts to grow female leadership, coaching and governance.

"A change this big - this important - will take collective effort," Robertson said.

"The focus is on three priority areas: leadership, participation, and value and visibility. It is grounded in a clear set of measures of success."

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Government launches $10m strategy to get more women and girls in sport

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The Government is tackling gender inequality in sport with a new strategy and a $10 million investment. The strategy was launched by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson at Eden Park this morning, on the United Nations Day of the Girl.

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Fri Sept 20, 22:45: Japan v Russia, Tokyo Stadium (pool A)

Sat Sept 21, 16:45: Australia v Fiji, Sapporo Dome (pool D)

Sat Sept 21, 19:15: France v Argentina, Tokyo Stadium (pool C)

Sat Sept 21, 21:45: New Zealand v South Africa, International Stadium, Yokohama (pool B)

Sun Sept 22, 17:15: Italy v Namibia, Hanazono Rugby Stadium (pool B)

Sun Sept 22, 19:45: Ireland v Scotland, International Stadium Yokohama (pool A)

Sun Sept 22, 22:15: England v Tonga, Sapporo Dome (pool C)

Mon Sept 23, 22:15: Wales v Georgia, City of Toyota Stadium (pool D)

Tue Sept 24, 22:15: Russia v Samoa, Kumagaya Rugby Stadium (pool A)

Wed Sept 25, 17:15: Fiji v Uruguay, Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium (pool D)

Thu Sept 26, 19:45: Italy v Canada, Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium (pool B)

Thu Sept 26, 22:45: England v USA, Kobe Misaki Stadium (pool C)

Sat Sept 28, 16:45: Argentina v Tonga, Hanazono Rugby Stadium (pool C)

Sat Sept 28, 19:15: Japan v Ireland, Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa (pool A)

Sat Sept 28, 21:45: South Africa v Namibia, City of Toyota Stadium (pool B)

Sun Sept 29, 18:15: Georgia v Uruguay, Kumagaya Rugby Stadium (pool D)

Sun Sept 29, 20:45: Australia v Wales, Tokyo Stadium (pool D)

Mon Sept 30, 23:15: Scotland v Samoa, Kobe Misaki Stadium (pool A)

Wed Oct 2, 20:45: France v USA, Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium (pool C)

Wed Oct 2, 23:15: New Zealand v Canada, Oita Stadium (pool B)

Thu Oct 3, 18:15: Georgia v Fiji, Hanazono Rugby Stadium (pool D)

Thu Oct 3, 23:15: Ireland v Russia, Kobe Misaki Stadium (pool A)

Fri Oct 4, 22:45: South Africa v Italy, Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa (pool B)

Sat Oct 5, 18:15: Australia v Uruguay, Oita Stadium (pool D)

Sat Oct 5, 21:00: England v Argentina, Tokyo Stadium (pool C)

Sat Oct 5, 23:30: Japan v Samoa, City of Toyota Stadium (pool A)

Sun Oct 6, 17:45: New Zealand v Namibia, Tokyo Stadium (pool B)

Sun Oct 6, 20:45: France v Tonga, Kumamoto Stadium (pool C)

Tue Oct 8, 23:15: South Africa v Canada, Kobe Misaki Stadium (pool B)

Wed Oct 9, 17:45: Argentina v USA, Kumagaya Rugby Stadium (pool C)

Wed Oct 9, 20:15: Scotland v Russia, Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa (pool A)

Wed Oct 9, 22:45: Wales v Fiji, Oita Stadium (pool D)

Fri Oct 11, 23:15: Australia v Georgia, Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa (pool D)

Sat Oct 12, 17:45: New Zealand v Italy, City of Toyota Stadium (pool B)

Sat Oct 12, 21:15: England v France, International Stadium Yokohama (pool C)

Sat Oct 12, 23:45: Ireland v Samoa, Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium (pool A)

Sun Oct 13, 16:15: Namibia v Canada, Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium (pool B)

Sun Oct 13, 18:45: USA v Tonga, Hanazono Rugby Stadium (pool C)

Sun Oct 13, 21:15: Wales v Uruguay, Kumamoto Stadium (pool D)

Sun Oct 13, 23:45: Japan v Scotland, International Stadium Yokohama (pool A)

QUARTERFINALS

Sat Oct 19, 20:15: Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D, Oita Stadium (QF1)

Sat Oct 19, 23:15: Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A, Tokyo Stadium (QF2)

Sun Oct 20, 20:15: Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C, Oita Stadium (QF3)

Sun Oct 20, 23:15: Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B, Tokyo Stadium (QF4)

SEMIFINALS

Sat Oct 26, 21:00: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2, International Stadium Yokohama (SF1)

Sun Oct 27, 22:00: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4, International Stadium Yokohama (SF2)

BRONZE PLAYOFF

Fri Nov 1, 22:00: Loser SF1 v Loser SF2, Tokyo Stadium

FINAL

Sat Nov 2, 22:00: Winner SF1 v Winner SF2, International Stadium Yokohama

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Rugby World Cup Japan 2019 fixtures: Full match schedule

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Fri Sept 20, 22:45: Japan v Russia, Tokyo Stadium (pool A) Sat Sept 21, 16:45: Australia v Fiji, Sapporo Dome (pool D) Sat Sept 21, 19:15: France v Argentina, Tokyo Stadium (pool C) Sat Sept 21, 21:45: New Zealand v South Africa, International Stadium, Yokohama (pool B) Sun Sept 22,

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It was a single line in a recent Stuff story that set the alarm bells ringing.

It was about Hamilton Boys' High School, my old stomping ground.

It was about schoolboy rugby and scholarships and education culture.

The alarm bells rang so loud it awoke me from my sporting old boy complacency.

This story was all about an education practice that has been on the peripheral edge of my sporting and education landscape. I'd read about it over the years, but paid little attention it.

But for many it represents corrupt education practice and it seems it's gathering momentum as the real weight of high school prestige marketing and professional sport collide.

It's about schools recruiting ring-ins to boost their sports teams and by deliberate association, their school's marketing and profile.

Here is the line that started it all: "(Sevu) Reece moved to New Zealand in 2014 on a scholarship to Hamilton Boys' High School and immediately starred in both sevens and 15s, representing New Zealand Secondary Schools in the latter..there's a three year stand-down period from the time he finishes school before New Zealand Rugby grant him eligible (sic) to wear black."

Hold on ... hold on ... so, to be clear, a Fijian student with no connection to New Zealand is offered a scholarship to a Hamilton high school (for what?) and this is all designed to short-cut a professional career to be an All Black?

Really? That's interesting I thought (or friggin' corrupt, came the internal narrative).

So I sought clarification from my former Boys' High teacher Susan Hassall (nee Ross in 1979) about the circumstances surrounding a Fijian student playing rugby on the grounds at Peachgrove Road.

The questions I asked were:

Why was this scholarship offered?

How did HBHS become aware of this Fijian student?

Do you employ/contract sports scouts?

What is the policy HBHS works to regarding scholarships for (rugby) students outside Hamilton catchments?

How many scholarships have been offered to foreign students?

Does HBHS have any concerns that the importation of out of region sport students impacts negatively on school culture?

What were the terms and conditions of Reece's scholarship?

What steps are taken to encourage Fijian rugby players to represent and strengthen Fijian rugby rather than New Zealand rugby?

What other Fijian rugby prospects has HBHS identified as potential scholarship recipients?

And I would have liked to have followed up with my former teacher with another question: are any scholarships offered to Fijian students in arts and culture, perhaps in a capella singing, dance or theatre?

At the time of writing, HBHS hasn't acknowledged or answered my questions.

So I searched online for other stories of students being recruited to play rugby. To my horror, the stories start with rugby recruits being scouted at age 12 and under.

Further reading uncovered a litany of underhand tactics, disputes and parental anger at the way students are recruited and then thrown into sporting teams, keeping local students off the field.

Some of these local sporting students had established sporting reputations but lost out to the bigger kids from out of town and out of country.

As I read further, only one Hamilton school was named alongside the big Auckland schools guilty of poaching students from other schools; Hamilton Boys' High.

Frankly, it stinks. The schools' PR spin will say that is about offering education opportunities for selected students to gain a better education. Sure it is.

It is so close to money talks American college sporting culture that I have difficulty seeing anything other that corruption at work and it's all unfolding in real time on the fields of my old school.

There is a big difference between recruiting to advance the potential of a student and recruiting to advance the profile of a high school. There are sound reasons to offer scholarship opportunities and then there are institution centred motivations. It is clear which one is involved when rugby is the main motivation.

In my day as captain of the HBHS first 11, I dreamed of scholarships to the UK to further my exposure to professional football. We represented Boys' High with pride and took pleasure in beating Auckland Grammar. But none of us ever contemplated international students being recruited solely to play for the first 11 or first XV to boost the schools' profile.

While I was vaguely aware of the corrupt practice of importing students into high school rugby sides around the country, I was unaware that HBHS was up to its neck in it.

Let me be clear, Sevu. Go home. Proudly wear white and black. Represent your country - not mine. Go home and strengthen your country's rugby, they need you more than we do. Wear your own region's colours and strengthen Fijian rugby.

And to the parents of Boys' High students who have been shafted by this corrupt student poaching practice, I ask you to write to the editor of the Waikato Times and share your story. I believe a sporting boil of education is about to be lanced.

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School recruiting of children to play rugby questionable practice

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It was a single line in a recent Stuff story that set the alarm bells ringing. It was about Hamilton Boys' High School, my old stomping ground. It was about schoolboy rugby and scholarships and education culture. The alarm bells rang so loud it awoke me from my sporting old boy complacency.

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New Zealanders will be able to view all RWC2019 matches live or on-demand via Spark streaming over their broadband or mobile connection.

Spark's live and on-demand service will be accessible to customers of all New Zealand broadband and mobile providers - it won't be restricted to Spark customers.

The tournament will be offered on a pay to watch basis, with packages to include a tournament pass and passes for individual matches.

TVNZ will screen selected matches free-to-air. TVNZ won't break to ads in live game time.

Spark New Zealand announced today it has secured the rights to bring to New Zealanders the Rugby World Cup 2019 (RWC2019), the Women's Rugby World Cup 2021, the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018, and World Rugby U20 Championships 2018 and 2019.

New Zealanders will be able to stream Rugby World Cup 2019 matches and related content live or on-demand over their home broadband or mobile connection, using a wide range of devices - including TVs, mobiles, tablets and laptops. The service will offer both free and paid content and will be available to all New Zealanders - not just Spark customers.

Spark has entered into an agreement with TVNZ, which will see the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018, the World Rugby Under 20 Championship 2018 and selected matches from the Rugby World Cup 2019 screen free-to-air on TVNZ. Free-to-air coverage of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2021 will be confirmed closer to the tournament date.

Spark Managing Director Simon Moutter said, "At Spark, we want to help shape the future of sports watching by New Zealanders, so we are immensely proud to be bringing these iconic tournaments via modern streaming capabilities that offer a richer, more engaging viewing experience. We intend to use the power of technology to give Kiwis more control and better choices about what they watch, when they watch and how they watch."

Mr Moutter said rather than the "all or nothing" bundle that has been the approach for previous Rugby World Cups, Spark intends to offer pricing options to suit people's differing preferences and budgets.

"While we won't be releasing pricing details until next year, I can say there will be a menu of well-priced options, ranging from individual match passes through to a full tournament package. We believe this makes Rugby World Cup viewing more accessible to many more New Zealanders than has been the case for recent tournaments."

World Rugby Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: "We are excited to be announcing details of this innovative deal with Spark for World Rugby tournament rights in New Zealand.

"New Zealand is well-known for its passionate love for rugby and so it's fitting for such a ground-breaking new approach to delivering some of rugby's premier tournaments to begin here. We believe that this deal will give fans in New Zealand access to an exceptional viewer experience that will deliver even more action, analysis and coverage to more people than ever before."

TVNZ CEO Kevin Kenrick said, "Our agreement will broaden the availability of New Zealand's biggest sport and give viewers even more choice. Together we're committed to delivering a fantastic viewing experience for all New Zealanders - making the most of Spark's leading digital technology and distribution capabilities and TVNZ's unrivalled audience reach and content expertise.

"Big sporting events have a huge following and in New Zealand it doesn't get much bigger than the Rugby World Cup. It's must watch moments like this that drive TV viewing. TVNZ's excited to be the free-to-air TV home for the next Rugby World Cup. The tournament is a major addition to our sport event line up, and builds on our recent Commonwealth Games coverage." Mr Kenrick said.

TVNZ will screen seven Rugby World Cup 2019 matches live - including the tournament's opening match and the final - the same number offered free-to-air in 2015, and a yet to be confirmed number of delayed matches. Ads won't run in live game time, said TVNZ. Details of these matches will be released in the coming months.

Mr Moutter confirmed the live streaming service would not be restricted to Spark customers and would be accessible via New Zealand's 5 million+ mobile connections (3G/4G) and 1.5 million broadband subscribers, saying "we will be reaching out to other network operators and providers to see how we can optimise the viewing experience for their customers. Although of course we are likely to offer Spark customers some special deals and experiences.

"We believe that by offering New Zealanders more options when it comes to where and how they watch games - and how much they need to spend - we will make the Rugby World Cup accessible to a much wider audience than those with a paid-TV subscription.

"The increasing diversity of New Zealand and rapid changes in technology mean many of us are watching sport in a very different way to in the past. By combining our technical expertise and capability with that of TVNZ, we believe we will not only deliver these tournaments in a way that long-time, loyal rugby fans will love, but we will also reach out and inspire new audiences to get behind our men and women in black - bringing the Rugby World Cup to a much wider audience," Mr Moutter said.

Mr Moutter also emphasised the importance of the rights to Spark's broader media strategy.

"Through our successful operation of Lightbox and our partnership with Netflix, we have demonstrated our commitment to be a key player in a rapidly evolving media environment when it comes to New Zealanders watching their favourite TV shows and movies online. Given how passionate New Zealanders are when it comes to watching their favourite sports, we have an ongoing interest in playing our part as sports viewing moves online as well.

"At the same time, we're disciplined when it comes to investments of this nature. Although sport is a powerful content genre, it is typically very expensive - something we're mindful of. For this reason, we're focused on making sure the business case for securing rights of this nature can stand on its own two feet - and these tournaments certainly do that."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How will Kiwis be able to access RWC2019?
New Zealanders will be able to stream the matches over their broadband or mobile connection, via an app that will be compatible with a wide range of devices - including TVs, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. TVNZ will offer selected matches free-to-air.
How much will it cost?
Spark won't be releasing pricing details until next calendar year but intends to offer pricing options to suit people's differing preferences and budgets. This will include a full tournament package and individual match passes.
Which games will be screened free-to-air via TVNZ?
These details will be released in due course, but we can confirm there will be seven live matches screened free-to-air, and this will include the tournament's opening match and the final.
Will I have to be a Spark customer to watch the RWC2019?
No. We will be streaming the tournament over an app that will be available to all New Zealanders, no matter who their broadband or mobile provider is. The app will be compatible with a wide range of devices. It will be free to download and then matches and packages will be offered on a pay to watch basis. Selected matches will be also be available free-to-air via TVNZ.
What sort of free content might you offer online via the app?
Those details will be released next year, but the content is likely to include - for example - highlights from the week's play or delayed full match content.
What about people who don't have good broadband coverage - particularly people in rural areas?
The vast majority of New Zealanders can and do already access streaming services very effectively and that number continues to grow with UFB and RBI programmes roll-outs continuing. However, we are very mindful that in late 2019, some people may still not have adequate coverage to stream the matches at home. We want to do our best to give as many New Zealanders as possible to watch - so we are looking at a range of options. We're not able to give any details right now.
What tournaments are included?
Men's Rugby World Cup 2019 Japan Sept-Nov 2019

Women's Rugby World Cup 2021 TBA TBA

Men's/Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 San Francisco July 2018

Men's World Rugby U20 Championship 2018 France May-June 2018

Men's World Rugby U20 Championship 2019 TBA TBA

Note: The 2018 tournaments will screen via TVNZ as the Spark streaming service will not yet be available. Details TBC shortly.

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Spark New Zealand and TVNZ to bring coverage of Rugby World Cup 2019 to New Zealanders

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New Zealanders will be able to view all RWC2019 matches live or on-demand via Spark streaming over their broadband or mobile connection. Spark's live and on-demand service will be accessible to customers of all New Zealand broadband and mobile providers - it won't be restricted to Spark customers.