Steve Hepburn
Three favourite moments
Highlanders scrum pulverises
Being a rugby fan in the south, you are used to exciting backs, great loose forwards, and let’s just say, a tight five that tries hard. The scrum in the south had had its fair share of spells in reverse gear. But it has improved and come the key moment in the match against the British and Irish Lions, the Highlanders scrum smashed the Lions front eight. The resulting penalty was knocked over by Marty Banks and the Highlanders had a fantastic win.
Home dry
Does it always seem to rain in Wellington? Faced with packed buses and a supposedly short walk to Westpac Stadium for the second Lions test, one ventured out to tread some shoe leather to get to the gameBig mistake. It was pouring down, monsoon-like. Throw in being surrounded by Lions fans, who had been on the booze since noon, and it was not a pleasant occasion.
But getting there under the stand was a great moment. To be able to dry out and get some tucker on board.
We won’t mention the game.
Mauling the Magpies
You tire of these unions like Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay who bang on about being grass roots and all that but have pots of dough and are not afraid to spend it.
So to go out and smash Hawke’s Bay by plenty was very satisfying after so many struggles in Napier over the years.Best gameHighlanders v Lions. Enough said.
Best newcomer
With players getting exposure when they are still in short pants at high school, can there actually be a newcomer anymore?Everyone is known, marked and analysed almost before they can start shaving.
At a stretch, Josh Ioane for Otago, but he has been a player of promise for a while.
Top international achiever
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton did it again and one has to acknowledge his abilities after it all looked like it was going pear-shaped in the middle of the season.
Top NZ achiever
Sam Whitelock was outstanding for every team he played for this year and thoroughly deserved the awards which came his way at the end of the season.
Top Otago achiever
Courtney Duncan finished third in the world championships, overcoming injury and some awful bad luck. And she is only 21.
Predictions
How many medals will NZ win at the Commonwealth Games?
Between 15 and 20. NZ should win lots, as there is plenty of money going into elite sport these days. But it will be a struggle in the top sports of swimming and athletics.
Who will win the Fifa World Cup?
Argentina to beat Germany in the final
Left-field prediction
The Blues will be better than the Chiefs in Super Rugby, while Australia will take back the Bledisloe Cup.
Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling
Jonny Turner
Three favourite moments
Boat on the water
Splendid scenes out on the water in Bermuda as Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup.
What an unlikely place to make sporting history for a country on the other side of the Earth.After the disaster that was our last cup challenge, the country breathed a sigh of relief when the team clinched it.
Champions win
Winx winning her third consecutive Cox Plate or Lazarus winning his second straight New Zealand Cup, I can not split them. Both absolute champion racehorses.
Brawling hour
The moment the first round bell rang in the Mayweather-McGregor fight.
It was a breath-taking moment as the world watched on. Finally the answer to one of the biggest questions in sporting history was almost here.
It is just a pity the fight did not match the hype and anticipation.
Best game
All Blacks 35, Wallabies 29, Forsyth Barr Stadium, August 26. The Aussies made a blistering start to this test to not only shock Dunedin fans but also set up an enthralling match. The ride as the men in black clawed their way back was rollercoaster like.In a thrilling finish the All Blacks would eventually retake the lead within the last two minutes of play, thanks to some Beauden Barrett magic.
Best newcomer
Jordie Barrett. He is good, seriously good. What a shame he had to miss the tail end of the season after making a brilliant start to his All Black career.This guy is going to put serious pressure on anyone wanting a starting spot in the outside backs next season.
Top NZ achiever
Peter Burling. Proved he was not just a brilliant sailor by helping team New Zealand to win the America’s Cup, but also proved he had a wicked sense of humour.As amusing as his barbs at Jimmy Spithill were, it is his sailing talent that sets him apart.
An America’s Cup win and an Olympic gold medallist. Simply brilliant.
Top international achiever
Tom Brady. This guy is as old as my shoes. Well, he is 40 and they look 40.
But he keeps delivering in an age in sport where being in your mid to late 20s is considered past it.
Has led an incredible New England Patriots dynasty with five Superbowl rings to show for it.
Top Otago achiever
Suzie Bates. She crushes it in England, she crushes it in the Big Bash. What a wonderfully talented cricketer.
Predictions
How many gold medals will NZ win at the Commonwealth Games?
Twenty-plus, hopefully. The overall medal tally is not important — 45 bronze medals is nothing to skite about.
Who is going to win the Football World Cup?
Germany.
A left field prediction
People will stop caring about Joseph Parker’s career. Yawn.
Otago rugby player Josh Ioane.
Adrian Seconi
Three favourite moments
Sparks ignite
Nobody, including the Sparks, could have predicted they would emerge from the season with a twenty20 title. They slipped into the final and then Suzie Bates took over with a masterly knock to set up the victory.
19s stun Auckland
The Otago under-19 team won the national title last December but, because they missed the deadline last time, I’ve included it. The team stunned Auckland to win the final by five runs. Hunter Kindley was the leading scorer at the tournament with 306 runs at an average of 51.
Wags bags seven
Neil Wagner’s seven for 39 in the first test against the West Indies was up there. The series was dreadfully dull but always good to see the Otago left-hander succeeding.
Best game
It was a close call between the Blues pathetic effort against the Sunwolves or the Kiwis loss to Fiji at the Rugby League World Cup. Love a good upset.
Best newcomer
Otago left-armer Kate Heffernan announced her arrival with a stunning four-wicket haul in the twenty20 final. She has a big future in the sport if she sticks with cricket.
But she is also a very good netball player. The Steel has recently named her as an official training partner.
Top international achiever
Gosh it hurts to say this, and he is ugly to watch, but Australian skipper Steven Smith just keeps scoring runs and gets the gong. He has emerged as the best of the fab four — Smith, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Joe Root — in test cricket and it is really the only format which matters.
Top NZ achiever
Brendon Hartley became the first New Zealander to race in Formula One since Mike Thackwell in 1984 and just the ninth in total.
The Le Mans 24 Hours winner deputised for French rookie Pierre Gasly for the Toro Rosso team in the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
He has signed on, with Gasly, for 2018, so watch this space.
Top Otago achiever
Wagner just keeps continuing to take wickets no matter what level he plays at. His tenacity and ability to run in just as hard at the end of the day is what elevates him above other candidates.
Predictions
How many gold medals will NZ win at the Commonwealth Games?
Fifteen. Why not? It is one more than we got in Glasgow and seems a reasonable target. Fifty medals in total. Nice round number.
Who is going to win the Football World Cup?
Well, it won’t be Italy, so who cares!
A left field prediction?
The Volts are going to make a stunning comeback in the Plunket Shield and win the first-class tournament for the first time in 30 years. Josh Finnie will recover from the pair he made in his only outing so far this season and lead all scorers in the tournament. He will probably average at least 100.
Jeff Cheshire
Three favourite moments
Renee Bacon scores to snap the streak
With the scores tied 2-2, Renee Bacon found the back of the net in the 84th minute to put the Southern United women up against Auckland.
The atmosphere grew from that moment on, as the nerves kicked in throughout the final six minutes.
Emotion spilled over on the final whistle, as the team celebrated its first win in four years and second in a decade.
Made of Steel
The championship was great and all, but this was the game that really got the passion going.
Just two days after a vehicle crash which sidelined four of its key players, the Southern Steel beat the Mainland Tactix 51-46.
There were several youngsters who stepped up, none more so than Jennifer O’Connell, who shot 38 from 45 in her first major outing for the team.
It was an emotional response upon the win, the image of captain Wendy Frew, crutch in hand, etched in the memory.
Legend meets locals
Seeing Usain Bolt run in the flesh while on holiday in Melbourne rates right up there on a personal highlight level.
The Jamaican headlined Nitro Athletics, a three-meet series in which teams containing many top athletes competed for points.
Also competing were Dunedin duo Anna Grimaldi and Tori Peeters.
In this job you do not often get to see — in person — local athletes on the world stage, which made this occasion one to remember.
Best game
It was the final everyone wanted and it was one that delivered in every way possible.
One of the great rivalries of our time, it had been three years since Roger Federer met Rafael Nadal in a grand slam final.
At the Australian Open they ended that drought, Federer claiming victory in a five-set epic.
Best newcomer
Ben Simmons. The 6’ 10’’ point guard is doing things rarely seen by NBA rookies.
He can do it all and is one of the very best passers going around. Has potential to change the game over the coming decade — which only a select few have done.
We’ll have to forgive him for being an Aussie.
Top international achiever
Michael van Gerwen. Barely put a foot wrong in dominating the darts world. The Dutchman claimed six major titles, including the PDC world championship, which had eluded him for two years.
Top NZ achiever
Chris Wood. Returned to the English Premier League upon signing with Burnley and has been one of the club’s stars. Made the All Whites look significantly more threatening when he came on against Peru as well.
Top Otago achiever
Elise Mamanu-Gray. Returned from Melbourne to captain the Southern United women to their best ever finish and won a call up to the Football Ferns.
Predictions
How many gold medals will NZ win at the Commonwealth Games?
11.
Who is going to win the Football World Cup?
Germany.
A left field prediction?
Sonny Bill Williams doesn’t play a game again for the All Blacks.
