The Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn identifies three reasons each of the teams has a chance of winning the title, and a thought or two on why each could come a cropper.
An ex-Black Fern and a former assistant coach of the side say there are many reasons why the New Zealand women's side crashed out of the World Cup in France, and some changes need to be made.
The coach of the unbeaten Otago Boys' High School First XV says in a strictly rugby sense it would be best to play in the colts grade but he admits it is not as simple as that.
The Otago Spirit has lost some key players from last season but is still confident it will have the ability to compete.
Rugby is a pathway for many players and not just to play rugby professionally in New Zealand, the coach of the region's top school team says.
It was a bridge too far on Saturday for the Taieri colts side, which went down 24-9 to Dunedin in the competition final.
The Highlanders are confident of retaining halfback Aaron Smith while his immediate predecessor will be treated like any other player.
Former Highlanders captain Jimmy Cowan is eying a return to the top table, but a move back to the southern franchise looks unlikely.
Otago got the examination it wanted on Saturday and it has become clear - there is plenty of homework to be done.
King's High School will travel to Invercargill to take on Southland Boys' while Otago Boys' will host John McGlashan College in the Highlanders First XV competition semifinals next Saturday.
Highlanders and All Black halfback Aaron Smith has re-signed with the franchise.
Pirates will be looking to its firepower in the forwards while University will lean on its traditional game in the women's club rugby final this afternoon.
Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum is determined to see his evidence through in the match-fixing controversy.
The All Blacks think they have been going pretty well over the past few years.
Never tell a politician anything.
Courtney Sullivan is about to bring up her century of games for her club but she is still the rookie of the front row.
An increased focus has been put on the Otago under-19 side which will play in a new national tournament late next month.
As another ITM Cup rolls around, the focus is on trying to create a cleaner and tidier game, although the proof of the proposed changes remains to be seen.
Otago will head inland today, with its first game of the ITM Cup just 10 days away.
A rule which allows players to switch clubs from town to country has been both criticised and supported as club rugby in South Otago comes to a climax.
