Columnists

John Kirwan a source of inspiration

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: John Kirwan's value to New Zealand sport has been thrown into sharp focus by the tragic death of Welsh football hero Gary Speed.

We have a major golf champ here

GREG FORD - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Be patient, Michael Campbell counselled yesterday. It took the All Blacks 24 years to win back the Rugby World Cup, and while on the eve of the New Zealand Open Campbell hopes his winning drought will not take quite so long, he's drawing inspiration from his favourite rugby team and sticking with golf for the long haul.

All Blacks assistant coaches may end up foes

OPINION: When Steve Hansen encouraged England to "rip the wall down", he probably didn't envisage Wayne Smith volunteering for the rebuild which will begin against the All Blacks next year.

Dabbling in baseball may hit world title bid

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Before anyone cries "foul" over the Black Sox-baseball brouhaha, put yourself in national softball coach Eddie Kohlhase's cleats.

Guildford should follow Walsh's lead

OPINION: Those pointing the finger at Zac Guildford this week – while perhaps ignoring the three digits pointing right back – should remember there is a road to rugby redemption.

Key to stadium largesse is in the timing

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

Sporting fans should applaud the Government's decision to underwrite the $20m cost of the temporary home for the Crusaders in Addington.

Leaders aplenty when Richie McCaw quits

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: The All Blacks are spoiled for choice for captaincy options when Richie McCaw relinquishes the reins.

Still time for Phoenix to rise

IT FITS THE BILL: Phoenix defender Andrew Durante, front, tries out one of the club's new shirts for size. Replicas of the new tops will be dearer, but Paul Stephens, marketing strategic manager for adidas, which is supplying the strips, says they are priced competitively.

FRED WOODCOCK - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Not for the first time in their short history the Wellington Phoenix have been written off by almost every pundit across the Tasman – and most on this side – as A-League wooden-spooners.

Veteran All Blacks should ease burden on Slade

OPINION: Ma'a Nou felt he needed a cuddle yesterday.

Warriors' success proves depth of rugby league in NZ

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Whose boots would you rather be in – incoming Warriors coach Brian McClennan's or the next All Blacks head coach's?

NZRU's chance to build for future

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Let us hope Steve Tew keeps his own backyard in order.

Muliaina's cup could yet runneth over

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Why is everyone prematurely penning the rugby requiem of Mils Muliaina?

Foggy future for Munro

GREG FORD - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: It was a red letter day for Canterbury sport yesterday. In fact it's been a pretty good week.

Captaincy conundrums ahead of World Cup

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: What is Robbie Deans' thinking? Is changing captains a fortnight out from the start of the Rugby World Cup a desperation measure?

It's time NZRU learnt to say no to daft marketing ideas

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: If anything has been learnt from Telecom's failed "abstinence campaign" it is that the New Zealand Rugby Union needs to start baring its fangs when fronted with kooky proposals.

Tilted, broken, munted, the signs look bleak

GREG FORD - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: It was a surreal experience walking through the rubble and ruin that is AMI Stadium yesterday.

Time for some openness

It's time for the Christchurch City Council to come clean to AMI Stadium's shareholders - the public - about the state of our major sporting venue, says Tony Smith.

Deans and Hansen not playing nice

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: They once shared post-match beers as representative players and swapped anecdotes as Crusaders and Canterbury coaching partners.

All bets are off in leadup to World Cup

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: We've got to get over this obsession with playing the best team every week.

Fans think twice about night game in July

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: What a difference a day (game) makes. Chance would be a fine thing.

No wonder union's playing hard ball with McAlister

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Late, legendary United States college basketball coach John Wooden once said sports do not build character they reveal it.

War of words gives playoff a little spark

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Bismark du Plessis' parting shot summarised the Sharks' evening.

Captaincy reverse may see McCullum walk

GEOFF LONGLEY - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Two years ago, Brendon McCullum was the heir apparent to the New Zealand cricket captaincy.

SNZ may need to look in mirror

KEVIN TUTTY - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: When Swimming New Zealand appointees to the advisory committee – Ross Butler and Alison Fitch – sit down to start the review of the sport's high performance structure this weekend, part of their discussion should be an analysis of their own performance.

Crusaders hosting final in Auckland?

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Can the Crusaders in all conscience consider hosting a Super rugby final in Auckland?

Annual trans-Tasman series in jeopardy

GEOFF LONGLEY - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day cricket series between New Zealand and Australia is in danger of falling into one of Canterbury's earthquake silt pits and sinking without trace.

More attack on track by drivers needed

MATT MARKHAM - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: The knockers must be all asleep. It's been three days since the Harness Jewels and there's hardly been a bad word spoken – which is abnormal.

Richie McCaw is worth wait as he heals

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Any mention of Richie McCaw and injuries in World Cup year has, for obvious reasons, the potential to cause rugby hypochondriacs to topple off their stools in panic.

Herbert must give young All Whites more game time

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: It's the message many All Whites fans have been waiting to hear coach Ricki Herbert utter: "We will probably cut loose a bit in Adelaide against the Socceroos."

Without its villains sport would be poorer

GREG FORD - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: While our ardour for Australian referee Stuart Dickinson might be at an all-time low this week, he definitely stirred our sporting passion.

Blatter's blather begs the question, should he stay or go?

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: By the close of play tonight Sepp Blatter could be installed in his fourth term as Fifa president.

Football's the game for Gallipoli

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: The idea of staging a symbolic sporting event in Turkey to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli isn't such a silly one. It's just a matter of choosing the right code.

Brisbane's steamy heat seems to fray players' tempers

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Maybe it is the humidity that tips them off the edge.

Three wise men look to the stars

OPINION: Henry revealed at a speaking engagement in Wellington that 30 of the 45 All Blacks he had pencilled into his shadow squad are injured.

Is the pot calling the kettle black?

TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

All Blacks coach Graham Henry must have had a twinkle in his eye or his tongue wedged in his cheek.

Thompson has every right to be unhappy

OPINION: Anna Thompson is the only player not named in Ruth Aitken's World Championship Silver Ferns squad with a valid grievance after she missed out on the only contentious position.

Double dose of bad news

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Rugby player Colin Slade and coach Rob Penney were forced to digest some tough news at the weekend.

Proteas add spin to arsenal

GEOFF LONGLEY - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: If the Black Caps thought they had experienced the hardest spin bowling at the World Cup when stumbling against Sri Lanka they might need to think again.

McCaw's fracture can be seen in negative or positive light

OPINION: Sport is often all about timing, and the glass half-full brigade will hope Richie McCaw has got it bang on by fracturing his foot during a fitness drill at Crusaders training last week.

Lack of backup to McCullum could backfire

OPINION: Not taking a backup wicketkeeper for Brendon McCullum to the World Cup on the subcontinent next month could backfire badly on the New Zealand cricket selectors.

You can't beat the beach and barbies

OPINION: Watching rugby in bright sunshine is a joy not often afforded to New Zealanders or anyone living in Britain or Ireland during the winter. In South Africa, it is often a privilege taken for granted.

Black Caps in bid to end a bad run

OPINION: The Black Caps are poised on the precipice of equalling their second-longest losing streak in one-day international cricket at Jaipur tonight against India.

Batting order: McCullum top

OPINION: Memo Daniel Vettori: Please resist the temptation to stick Brendon McCullum back down the order for the forthcoming one-day cricket series against India.

Things don't make sense at NZ Cricket

OPINION: Just what is happening within New Zealand Cricket at present?

Black Caps looking down Bangladesh barrel

BY GEOFF LONGLEY - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Can things get any worse for the New Zealand cricketers after a humiliating second successive one-day loss to Bangladesh?

Hats off to Southland's unique and hardy supporters

OPINION: While Canterbury deserve all the plaudits slathered on them after Saturday night's Ranfurly Shield seizure, it seems rather churlish if another mob doesn't earn at least a few rounds of applause too.

Who to run and who to rest?

BY ROB PENNEY - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: One of the skills required by provincial coaches these days is managing players and determining just when they should, or should not, return to the starting side.

Enthusiasm for RWC 2011 reflected in ticket sales

BY MARTIN SNEDDEN - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Two weeks ago a few of us popped across the Tasman, on Bledisloe Cup weekend, to mark the Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) "one year to go" milestone and to support our Government's "Giant Rugby Ball" promotion.

Timely to elevate Wood with an eye on 2014 World Cup

BY TONY SMITH - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: Teenage striker Chris Wood should get a chance to stake a claim for a regular starting place in the All Whites' two-match home series next month.

Time for rugby union to stop chasing money in Asia

OPINION: Steve Tew and John O'Neill announced on Thursday the very dead fourth Bledisloe Cup match is to go ahead in Hong Kong after all. In reality they had no option.

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