The pressure of expectation can be difficult to deal with in sport but it would be extraordinary if the final of Super Rugby ...

Eleven rounds into 2025’s Super Rugby Pacific competition, there’s no question this has been as entertaining a start as any since Super Rugby began in 1996. I ...

Rieko Ioane (front) and the All Blacks performing the haka. Photo / Photosport Phil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports ...

A star was born when young Auckland journalist Phil Gifford invented a rugby character named Loosehead Len 50 years ago. Loosehead, the beer-swilling bigot, barged out of newspaper pages to become ...

Phil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports journalism. The comeback story of Super Rugby continues, with the Crusaders ...

Phil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports journalism. As we say goodbye to 2023 and welcome in 2024, it’s a good time to ...

Everything about the rolling maul feels wrong. A player has the ball but can’t be tackled. That goes against everything rugby is about. A player is shielded by teammates from the opposition. In ...

There’s never been a more important season for Super Rugby than 2024. Rugby here and in Australia is under siege from many directions. With the death throes of the Melbourne Rebels following ...

Phil Gifford is a Contributing Sports Writer for NZME. He is one of the most-respected voices in New Zealand sports journalism. Over a lifetime of covering rugby, Phil Gifford has seen many of the ...

Over a lifetime of covering rugby, Phil Gifford has seen many of the greatest players to don the black jersey – and the biggest change in that time has been the arrival of professionalism in 1996.

At the age of 77, seasoned journalist Phil Gifford says he still has the bug for writing and he is preparing to share some of his memories with Whangamatā. Gifford is coming to the Coromandel for ...

Hurricanes first-five Ruben Love’s superb kicking was part of an excellent all-round display against the Chiefs. Photo / Photosport The Hurricanes’ 35-17 spanking of the table-topping Chiefs ...