Hayden Meikle

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph is backing his Japanese imports to make an immediate impact tonight.

The stage is set for a thrilling finish to the Dunedin premier men's club competition.

Get ready for the bigger, longer and better (er, really?) Super 15. Hayden Meikle offers an A to Z of the new season.

The Highlanders have delayed naming a starting XV for their opening Super 15 game against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night.

English loose forward James Haskell is the surprise inclusion in the Highlanders squad named today.

Confession time: before this year, I had never played a Final Fantasy game.

The Highlanders completed a miserable pre-season campaign with a 29-12 loss to the Blues in Auckland today.

Christchurch is rebuilding an entire city, and Dunedin's flagship professional sports organisation is effectively bankrupt.

New Otago United chairman Phil Cunningham is optimistic both his team and the national football league can survive and thrive.

Doom and gloom in sport used to refer to Rugby World Cup droughts, or being bowled out for 26. Now it is more likely to refer to balance sheets and bad debts. Beginning our series examining the state of professional sport, sports editor Hayden Meikle gives an overview of the issues to debate.

Here is a topic that has had us stumped over the past few days.

It is shaping as one of the most predictable Halberg Award functions in recent memory. The All Blacks will sweep the floor, won't they? Hayden Meikle looks at the contenders for the top gongs.

Monday is a day of great national importance. There will be scenes of drama and high emotion, and even though there may be some controversy, it is a chance for us to come together as one. So what do you need to know about Super Bowl day? Hayden Meikle provides a guide.

Some of New Zealand's most popular cricket characters will take on Otago Country's best at Molyneux Park on Sunday, February 19.