The Hockey Premier League gets underway this weekend, with four sides from across the country taking part in the six round competition.

The Central Falcons get their season underway when they take on the Hauraki Mavericks in Napier.

D'Arcy spoke with Black Sticks and Falcons striker Hope Ralph to discuss the opening match and the competition as a whole as it enters its second year.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 6th and final round of the 2025 New Zealand Rally Championship goes down this weekend, this time with the Rally of Whangarei.

Caleb MacDonald is behind the wheel, and he’ll be looking to close out the year by winning his first championship.

He caught up with D'Arcy to preview the event and delve into a crash that looked to derail his championship aspirations

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s now the 7th round of the GJ Gardiner Homes Tauihi Womens Basketball competition, and the Northern Kahu have struggled a bit to date, remaining winless.

On Sunday they take on the Southern Hoiho at Eventfinda Stadium and will be looking to put on a strong performance and pick up their first win of the season.

Haliegh Reinoehl is a Power Forward for the Kahu, and she joined D'Arcy to preview the game as well as chat about her life in New Zealand.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major game of international rugby league is on the horizon. Tomorrow afternoon the Kiwis and Toa Samoa face off in the grand final of the Pacific Championships in Sydney.

After a dominant display over Tonga last weekend, winning 40-14, the Kiwis will look to build on that performance as they take on Samoa again.

D'Arcy spoke with Kiwis prop Moses Leota to preview the match.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's New Zealand derby day in the A-League and with both Auckland FC and the Wellington Phoenix sitting unbeaten and in the top 4, its shaping up to be another cracker.

Auckland currently hold the bragging rights, having won all three encounters last year, but that adds to the atmosphere as the Phoenix will be looking to spoil the party at home.

Sam Cosgrove is a Striker for Auckland FC and he joined D'Arcy to reflect on the season so far and look ahead to the clash tonight.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More derbies.

The energy around today’s Phoenix v Auckland FC derby points to one thing: the A-League has got it right with the introduction of a second NZ team to their competition.

Which begs the question, why aren’t there more in other Australian competitions where New Zealand has a stake?

The answer, I presume, would be something like “it’s an Aussie comp, you’re lucky to have one team there, sit down and shut up”. Which is understandable, because it’s true – what’s in it for Australia? Eyeballs? Jersey sales? Broadcast rights? More sponsorship dollars? Stiffer competition?

Basketball and rugby league are plainly the targets here, as both sports already have a Kiwi presence in Aussie leagues – the NBL and the NRL.

The Breakers were the gold standard for a while and with the accelerated growth of the game here and the undeniable global reach of the game, this should lean into another franchise in NZ.

The NRL is screaming for another New Zealand team. The powers that be over the ditch appear to have zero interest in further expansion though. To say the NRL have little or no respect for NZ league is an understatement. They’d rather set up camp in Papua New Guinea. The federal cash sweetener is the only obvious reason as to why they would, nothing else makes sense. Also, the NRL hate us, and have shown time and time again that lip service is all they are capable of.

So it’ll never happen, in either league. Big Bash? Netball? Unlikely, but it won’t stop me dreaming of a day where the excitement around today’s A-League derby is replicated in other sports.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game two of the All Blacks’ Grand Slam tour goes down tomorrow morning as they take on Scotland at Murrayfield.

Scotland are looking like a much stronger team this year, led by key playmaker Finn Russell with many thinking they have a chance to beat the All Blacks for the first time in their history.

Du'Plessis Kirifi is coming off the bench for the All Blacks and he caught up with D'Arcy to discuss life on tour and preview the match.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No ifs, buts or maybes. No excuses. No shoulda coulda woulda.

Scott Robertson needs to come home from the Northern tour undefeated.

4 zip. Grand Slam in tow.

Am I expecting too much? Hell no.

This is Razor’s mid-term exam. After being awarded a 4 year contract by NZR, an oddity in itself, the faith must be repaid. Repaid to the NZR but most importantly to the fans.

Granted, World Cup victory is the ultimate measure of any international rugby team’s worth, a multitude of 4-year cycle result sins can be erased with success in one tournament, but NZ rugby fans won’t wait that long to taste Razors pudding. The proof of his tenure’s success is how tasty the spoonful is at the end of this tour. Soured by only one defeat will leave us all asking questions of the chef.

This is a mini–World Cup. The last pool game, then a quarter, a semi and the final. Not that the Welsh will be in the WC final but hey.

Short of the locks, this team is the best that the AB’s can muster. Their edge has been keenly sharpened on the whetstone of a pulsating and competitive Rugby Championship. They’ve had a couple of weeks off to breathe and reset, a swag of cavalry has returned and now we wait to see if Robertson has unlocked the door to international coaching success.

He’s had a couple of years. He’s trialled many a player, many a game plan. He’s had his share of failures, the much maligned fourth quarter impotence for example, his inability to retain coaching staff, and he oversaw arguably the worst 40 minutes of All Black rugby in recent memory, the horror show in Wellington against the Springboks. So he’s been given rope, plenty of rope, what’s he going to do with it? Tie himself in knots, fashion a noose, who knows.

I do know though, that 4 nil is a necessity for this side and this coach, and no correspondence will be entered into.

Scott Robertson needs to come home from the Northern tour undefeated.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.