Scotty Stevenson: On The Sidelines — August 19

In this week's newsletter, Scotty discusses the All Blacks' win over Argentina, Israel Adesanya's unsuccessful challenge for the middleweight title, and the end of the Warriors' 2024 campaign.

It has been a torrid week for the All Blacks with plenty of souls searched in the squad and among the coaching staff. That is to be expected after a loss, but even more so when a team is attempting to move on from history and make a future of its own.

That the All Blacks were finally able to assert themselves as the alpha males of the arena is proof positive this iteration of the national side is up for the fight. To do so in such emphatic fashion, at least in the opening 45 minutes, was doubly pleasing for the players and fans alike.

Much has been written about the need for clear thinking among the team’s leaders, and each showed why they have been handed responsibility for stepping up when it really matters. Ardie Savea was at his energetic best, and his vice captains, Codie Taylor and Jordie Barrett, both played with renewed purpose and application.

Jordie Barrett personified the ‘basics done well’ approach the All Blacks took with them to Eden Park. Strong on the carry all night, his hard graft opened doors for the likes of Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan and Caleb Clarke. Taylor, for his part, looked as fit as he ever has, making a couple of huge defensive plays to remind the younger members of the pack that urgency and desperation are part and parcel of test success.

There will be tougher tasks ahead, as Patrick McKendry covers here, but for now the All Blacks can at least take heart from their ability to execute well in conditions that could have made it hard for a lesser side.

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It took one lapse of concentration. Israel Adesanya looked on track to have the better of his South African rival, Dricus Du Plessis before a clumsy hook to the face forced him to turn his back in the fourth round. That was the invitation Du Plessis had waited patiently for, and he soon had the Kiwi on his back and in a choke that would force the submission and allow him to claim victory and retain his title.

It had been a salty build up to the bout, the feature fight at UFC 305 in Perth. The pair had traded words and insults. Adesanya had shed tears in the final press conference but looked as good as ever when standing up to Du Plessis, a fighter most pundits agreed would be looking to take Adesanya to the ground at any chance.

As it was, Adesanya’s take down defence was solid, his ability to get back up on point. He stood tall in the exchanges, but Du Plessis is a pressure fighter, and that pressure eventually opened the one crack he needed in his rivals otherwise exemplary defence.

Adesanya remained defiant after the fight. Du Plessis suggested he hang up the gloves after defeat. Not like this, was the expected response. The Last Style Bender wants to keep going, and the night was one of celebration for his stable mates, Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France, who ensured the New Zealand flag still flew high above the Octagon in Perth.

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Lydia Ko may have clocked golf after winning Olympic Gold and securing her inclusion in the LPGA Hall of Fame, but she continues to demonstrate her hunger for success, sitting in contention as the final round of the Scottish Open got underway last night.

Ko, who Sidelines had the chance to talk to via SENZ radio last week, wasted no time in leaving Paris to prepare for the next event. While some would be tempted to bask in the glory of Olympic success, Ko jumped aboard a plane just hours after her win to make sure her preparation for the Scottish Open was as good as possible.

With the Open Championship to come next, it shows Ko does not want to drift, whether this season is her last or not. In fact, the gold medal may well have given the kiwi a new lease of life. She says she hasn’t put a timeline on a possible retirement from full time golf (she had previously said she would be retired by 30), and one gets the impression she would like one more major title at least.

Regardless of what happens overnight, it is clear Ko is keen to be a force on tour for as long as she decides to tee it up. We can only hope that’s still for some time to come. For now, the Olympic Gold Medal is still in the backpack, so she can check on it to make sure it really happened.

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The Log O’ Wood was back in the headlines for the right reasons over the weekend as the Magpies successfully defended the Shield against Southland. It was a fine victory for the home side, running in four tries to two and taking advantage of some ill-discipline from the challengers.

The win means the Taniwha will have a Shield challenge this Friday night, having not held New Zealand Rugby’s most sought after prize since 1979. Should the Northlanders miss their opportunity, Tasman would be next to have a crack. Tasman has never won the Ranfurly Shield, though one of it’s constituent unions, Marlborough, famously defeated Canterbury to win it in 1972, hanging on to the log for almost two years before South Canterbury mounted a successful challenge.

While the Shield match may have been the most talked-about of the round, one result certainly illustrates just how tight the season might be. Otago somehow managed to bounce back from a big loss in Round One to Southland, to defeat Auckland.

The National Provincial Championship may not have the hype it once did, but there is no doubt it still manages to provide a weekend’s worth of entertainment for footy fans across the Motu.

It has been one of those years in a history of those years for the Warriors. The 24-10 defeat to the finals-bound Sea Eagles the final needle in the hope balloon fans were still attached to. It almost felt unfair as the Aucklanders put out a side that Coach Andrew Webster would have dearly loved to select more than he was able to this season.

There will be bright spots: the growth of Te Maire Martin has been genuinely promising as the Warriors look to move on from Shaun Johnson. Mitch Barnett is one of the most consistent forwards the club has ever had on the books, and has the heart of Simon Mannering. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has the chance to be an All-Star centre and the back three of Montoya, Nicoll-Klokstad and Watene-Zelezniak are as good as any at carrying the ball out of the danger zone.

Webster is not one to submit, even if the finals are out of reach, and the team still has two games to give the fans a finish they deserve. That the club has been able to set a new NRL benchmark by selling out every home game shows there is a genuine love for the Wahs here in New Zealand, and a not insignificant following across the Tasman.

One of the most intense reviews will need to centre on player fitness. The inordinate number of injuries this year cost the club dearly and if there is any way to mitigate this next year, you can bet the Warriors will be putting that plan into action.

And then there’s the farewell for SJ to consider….

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The first round of the EPL Season finished in the early hours of the morning. Over the weekend, three of the top four from last season got off to winning starts with Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa all taking maximum points. Four-time champions Manchester City took on Chelsea to get their quest for another title underway. We’ll have the stories that matter here on 1news.co.nz.

Expect a follow up on the decision by Grace Nweki to take her netballing talents to New South Wales next year. It is a blow for the sport here in New Zealand, the news widely tipped over the last few months, but made no less painful for fans here, especially after Nweki had the last say in the Premiership final here in New Zealand just weeks ago.

We’ll have more from the West Australian dust on what’s next for Israel Adesanya after his defeat in Perth. Plus we’ll track the next steps for title hopeful Kai Kara-France as he firms as a light weight title contender.