April ushers in more events
Super Rugby Pacific rolls on, the Warriors will be looking to climb the NRL ladder and netball begins in earnest — April is another big month for sport. Here’s what’s on the calendar.
Rugby Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
April 5-7
The All Blacks and Black Ferns Sevens sides head back up to the sport’s most iconic venue this weekend.
While the shortened form of the game has lost a fair bit of lustre recently, this is an Olympic year and both sides need a tune-up before going for gold in Paris.
The women have Stacey Waaka back from injury to bolster their squad, while Dylan Collier makes a comeback after missing the past two events for the men.
Football
Wellington Phoenix v Central Coast Mariners
Saturday, April 6, 7.30pm
What’s in the water in Wellington? Both the rugby and football teams are top of the table, with the Phoenix closing in on their best season finish ever.
This weekend sees them head away to second-placed Central Coast, before returning home the following week for another big clash with Melbourne Victory. The ‘Nix are currently six points clear with four regular season matches to go.
Motorsport
Japanese Grand Prix
Sunday, April 7
Liam Lawson is in the news, but not for the reasons that Red Bull team want to be reading.
Currently a reserve, Lawson has made his frustrations clear at not getting a drive in either RB team, so while it is unlikely he will be suiting up for anyone else this weekend at Suzuka, that may well change in the near future. Meanwhile, season leader Max Verstappen will be looking to make up for a DNF at the Melbourne Grand Prix after his car almost blew up.
Golf
The Masters
April 11-14
New Zealand’s own Ryan Fox heads to Augusta National to compete in his second US Masters tournament.
Last year he finished tied for 26th, and is coming off an excellent 2023 season in which he won the
BMW PGA Championship.
Fox will be up against the current power names in golf like Scottie Scheffler, Rory Mcilroy and John Rahm.
Netball
ANZ Premiership
From April 13
Netball finds itself in an interesting spot right now, with the domestic game admitting it is under financial pressure and needing to stay relevant due to the broadening of women’s sporting options.
The ANZ Premiership opens on Saturday, April 13, when Magic host the defending champions Mystics in Hamilton, while the Stars go up against the Pulse the following day.
Super Rugby Pacific
Hurricanes v Chiefs
Saturday, April 13 7.05pm
This month sees New Zealand derby matches take a bit of a back seat but there is one big one when the Chiefs head to Wellington. The Canes have been exceptional so far this year, fully deserving of their top of the table status, but have suffered an injury blow with Cam Roigard looking like he will miss the rest of the campaign. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have had a few weaknesses exposed so far this year, so this shapes up as being a massive challenge.
English football
Nottingham Forest v Everton Monday, April 22, 12.30am
Every game is crucial for Chris Wood’s Forest, as they look to lift themselves out of the relegation zone before the season’s conclusion in May.
They have Fulham, Spurs and Wolves before a big one against fellow strugglers Everton.
Wood may well play a big part in what might be another great escape — he’s made a bit of a habit of playing for sides in this position in recent years.
Rugby league
Warriors v Titans
Thursday, April 25, 4pm
The NRL’S Anzac Round game returns to New Zealand for the first time in almost a decade, and will be played in front what will surely be another Mt Smart sellout.
However, the day’s events may shine a bit of light on rugby league’s rather contradictory modern attitude to World War I — quite the opposite of what it was at the time when it allied itself tightly to trade unions and socialist movements to discourage enlistment.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster has opted for Te Maire Martin to partner Shaun Johnson this weekend, despite a strong showing from utility Chanel Harris-tavita in their 20-12 win over the Knights. The ninth-placed Warriors head to Sydney for the first time this season, where they face the Rabbitohs tomorrow afternoon at Accor Stadium.
Webster said that the selection was “about balance”.
“(We’re) making sure we’ve got the best 17, and Chanel knows his role in the team,” Webster said.
“Te Maire, last year, competed unbelievably for us. First six games of last year we were rapt, then he got a freak incident where he broke his leg. He’s been working really hard.”
The make-up of the interchange bench is yet to be finalised, however, Webster did confirm that Dylan Walker will not be playing. That opens the door for Harris-tavita to come into the side, given that he can cover hooker, half and lock.
“I thought Chanel did really well in that utility role, he can play anywhere,” said Webster.
“We have to make sure we don’t lose that.”
The situation comes after Luke Metcalf sustained a leg fracture in Sunday’s win, a cruelly ironic twist given that was what ruled Martin out of a large chunk of last season and gave Metcalf an opening.
“You feel for someone, but you’ve just got to move on. Footy’s a crap game like that,” admitted Webster.
Meanwhile, their opponents for tomorrow might have gotten off to a poor start to the 2024 season, but Webster is not taking the Rabbitohs lightly — especially since they haven’t beaten them since 2017.
“Souths have been a dominant club for the last 10 years, so I think they’ve got that record against a few clubs. We’re trying to change our identity and not be that club anymore, but history doesn’t matter.
“I think they’re a great team, they haven’t quite pieced it together but you saw in parts on the weekend that they can.”
Warriors captain Tohu Harris was quick to point out the danger posed by the likes of Latrell Mitchell and new signing Jack Wighton.
“You give them a little bit of space, they’ll kill anyone. They’ll tear teams apart and they have the ability to do it themselves — they’re not players who have to rely on anyone else setting them up. They can create something out of nothing.”
Webster was adamant the Warriors weren’t getting too far ahead of themselves despite two gutsy wins in a row.
“Three in a row is not the thing we’re chasing. We’ve learned consistency is everything.”
● Rabbitohs v Warriors
Kickoff: 5pm tomorrow, Accor Stadium
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry
4. Roger Tuivasa-sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitch Barnett 11. Jackson Ford
12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Tom Ale 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Jazz Tevaga.