Sports

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact A close-knit group of school friends from Christchurch have put aside any plans they had this weekend to spend the night in watching their All Blacks take on the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park. The fourth form students from an underprivileged government school on the edge of South Island city all agree that...

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact The board of Australian Rugby has done its best this afternoon to try to instil confidence in the fledgeling sport by explaining that Australian cricket is also in turmoil. CEO Bill Pulver said that the public needs to understand that rugby union isn't the only sport that's going down the drain in this country -...

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT Former Wallabies coach, and former All Blacks players Robbie Deans has been spotted over the weekend in an exclusive Kiwi Rugby Royalty clubhouse on the Avon River in Canterbury, a water estuary named after his pioneering great-great-great-grandfather John Deans. It is believed that Deans was seen taking part in a jovial and rambunctious conversation with...

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT Johnathan Thurston has sent a scare through the Banana Republic this week after going down twice at training with a broken neck while at the Gold Coast State of Origin base on Sunday. The GOAT was reportedly back on track for Game II start tomorrow night, after being sidelined for five weeks with a shoulder...

ROY MARTIN | Killers Editor | CONTACT With the Las Vegas band The Killers all set to play at this year’s AFL Grand Final, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has also revealed the set list, containing one song and one song only. “I’m pleased to reveal that not only have we locked in The Killers for our headline set at the 2017 AFL Grand Final, it...

15 June, 2017. 13:23 ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact A number of leading boxing and mixed martial arts commentators have come to the agreement that the 'trash-talk' and 'build-up' leading into the historic August 26 bout between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor will be better than the actual fight itself. The undefeated US boxer has knocked 26 of his 49...

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT Today's historic Golden State Warriors defeat over the Cleveland Cavaliers to regain the NBA Championship with a 4-1 series win was good, but not as good as The Brisbane Bullets Grand Final win against the Adelaide 69ers in 1985. The Warriors secured a 129-120 victory on Monday to take their second title in three seasons and cap a...

1 June, 2017. 9:23 ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact A Belconnen semi-professional scooter athlete is relieved one of his State of Origin teams won last night as the prospect of going into work this morning after his team lost, he says, would've been too much. Greg Kelso, a part-time sandwich artist at Canberra Airport's Subway, revealed to The Advocate that he...

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT Lidcombe-based printing supply sales rep, Johnathon Hindmarsh (33), has never been a religious man. He stopped going to church when his grandmother decided she didn't like the local chaplain in 1992 and he's been back for weddings since. In fact, apart from the heebee-jeebees he gets while walking through the local cemetery on his way home from the pub of...

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT Queensland's Origin preparations have been dealt a blow with a reported Ebola break out preventing up to four players from taking part in last night's training session. Forward Josh Papalii was the worst hit, having to remain quarantined in a tent donated by UNICEF. Dylan Napa, Moses Mbye and Kalyn Ponga were also on light duties as they battled...