Steve Hepburn

Ben Smith is not putting the cart before the horse.

The Highlanders have just come up short of completing a clean sweep of their pre-season.

The Highlanders have mixed and matched their side for the final pre-season match tonight as they continue to build for the season.

Sometimes it is hard to believe Nasi Manu is only 26.

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph will resist the urge to take his All Blacks across the Tasman this week, saying he has every confidence in their ability to be match-sharp when the season starts.

The South African challenge rather spluttered in Super rugby last year with just one side making the playoffs. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at the sides from across the Indian Ocean.

The Waratahs loom as the serious Australian contender in Super rugby, but other sides from across the Ditch will also want to make an impact. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at the five teams from the so-called lucky country.

Former Otago captain Eben Joubert can now call himself a true-blue New Zealander.

The boss of New Zealand Golf says he has exhausted all funding avenues to get live coverage of Lydia Ko playing in her home country.

No formal discussions have taken place about staging an international sevens competition in Dunedin, but if the opportunity arrived the boss of Forsyth Barr Stadium says he will put his hand up.

Conrad Smith is the latest All Black to be linked to a move overseas. He will go with acknowledgment of a fine stint in New Zealand. But after all that investment, New Zealand Rugby will receive nothing in return when he leaves. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at the thorny issue of transfer fees in rugby.

Doug Harvie will step down from the Otago Rugby Football Union's board with the sport in a much better position than when he arrived. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn catches up with the departing former chairman.

The boss of the Fifa Under-20 World Cup says a crowded sports calender will help rather than hinder the football event.

Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor is extremely disappointed after efforts to stitch together a deal to broadcast Lydia Ko playing at the New Zealand Women's Open were rebuffed by the tournament's organisers.

Big Brad Thorn turns 40 today.

Netball South chief executive Sue Clarke has resigned, stepping down after two years in charge.

Highlander halfback Fumiaki Tanaka is winging his way to Melbourne to link with the franchise after winning another Japanese title.

Singaporean interests could be about to make an investment in the Highlanders but whether that would lead to games played in Asia is still up in the air.

New Otago coach Cory Brown is not forming any opinions on players until he sees them in the flesh, and has set no lofty goals for the side.