By Duncan MackayNovember 29 - Preparations for Gold Coast 2018 are on course following the first visit of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Coordination Commission, it was announced today. 

along with Beng Choo Low, vice-president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and Jake Watkins, New

Zealand Olympic Committee team services director.

nbsp;Gold Coast 2018 logo launched to mark five years to start of Commonwealth GamesApril 2013: New

By Gary AndersonNovember 25 - Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) has announced the appointment of Megan Munro

The new part-time position will see Munro lead a team of medical and support staff in providing physical

Zealand Para-swimming team which won 12 gold medals and finished fourth in the overall medal standings

Zealand won five gold medals at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal back in August © Getty

Zealand ChampionshipsAugust 2013: Pascoe and Fisher set to lead New Zealand medal charge at IPC

World Swimming ChampionshipsMarch 2013: New Zealand Paralympic stars Pascoe and Fisher smash world records

By Gary AndersonNovember 24 - Reigning Paralympic champions Australia overcame Japan and a bout if sickness that afflicted their squad to add the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) Asia Oceania Championship crown to their London 2012 success.

over the South Africans.Japan sealed their place in the final after a winner-takes-all clash against New

Zealand which saw Daisuke Ikesaki starring for the Japanese with four goals in quick succession late-on

automatic qualification spot for next year's World Championships which will see them return to Odense.New Zealand

By Emily GoddardNovember 23 - South Africa's men and women have completed the line up for the 2014 Hockey World Cup as they secured the final berths at the showpiece tournament when they became continental champions today.

American champions Argentina, Asian champions Korea, Oceania champions Australia, England, Belgium, New

Zealand, Spain, Malaysia and India complete the line up for the men's tournament.Meanwhile, the women's

Pan American champions Argentina, Asian champions Japan, Oceania champions Australia, England, Korea, New

Zealand, China, the United States and Belgium.Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

By Paul OsborneNovember 22 - Triples ping pong will be making its way to the United Kingdom following the announcement from the sport's brand, T3, that it will appear at next year's World Championship of Ping Pong.

The revolutionary sport, which was invented in New Zealand in 1979 and sees six players compete

challenge.The T3 ping pong table can be used for the traditional triples format of the game or the new

public able to participate in the standard triples format or the newly introduced "chaos theory".These new

By Duncan MackayNovember 21 - Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has admitted it would have been better to introduce the country's controversial anti-gay propaganda law after Sochi 2014. 

The new legislation, signed into law in June by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has caused controversy

and overshadowed the build-up to Sochi 2014 @YouTubeMutko claimed that Russia's rivals had used the new

Canadian Olympic team urged to incorporate gay solidarity rainbow flags on Sochi 2014 kitOctober 2013: New

Zealand to appoint special diplomat to help with problems over anti-gay law at Sochi 2014October 2013

By Nick Butler at the Ballsbridge Hotel in DublinNovember 19 - Ireland's Cabinet have agreed to approach Northern Irish sporting authorities about a combined bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup following a confident message put forward here by Transport, Culture and Sports Minister Leo Varadkar.

ImagesMany figures have already expressed their support for a potential Irish bid.One of these was New

Zealand rugby star Sean Fitzpatrick who claimed an event in Ireland could be as successful as the one

People said New Zealand couldn't host a World Cup and we put on a fantastic tournament.

Japan hosting the 2015 and 2019 editions, and the other two Southern Hemisphere giants of Australia and New

Zealand having each hosted 21st century versions, South Africa indeed seems a likely contender.

By Nick Butler at the Aviva Stadium in DublinNovember 18 - Australian legend George Gregan was one of 11 stars inducted into the International Rugby Board (IRB) Hall of Fame here this evening to conclude the opening day of the IRB Rugby Conference and Exhibition.

recipients.Another highlight of the evening was the arrival of the World Cup winners trophy in the hands of New

Zealand captain who passed the trophy to IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.Richie McCaw hands the World

World Cup in England was repeated by Lapasset who described it as "an event that is on track to welcome new

members to the rugby family from new communities across the host nation and beyond."

By Nick Butler at the Ballsbridge Hotel in DublinNovember 18 - Patrick Hickey, a member of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ruling Executive Board, has praised rugby's appeal, vision and opportunity in being added to Rio 2016 programme, but also warned against any future complacency.

possibility to do that, through [IRB chairman] Bernard Lapasset and [former Romanian rugby player and new

attempt to join to two principle reasons.These were "superb lobbying" and the fact that rugby is "a new

nations who were more interested in the 15-man version, while he sees inclusion as opening up many new

enjoyed particular success in women's rugby and reached the World Cup final in Russia before losing to New

Zealand ©AFP/Getty ImagesThis comes in a financial sense due to access to significant Own the Podium

Federation's (IWRF) Asia Oceania Championships is due to get underway in South Africa this week as teams from New

Zealand, Australia and Japan join the host nation for their chance to qualify for next year's World

title this year having missed out on gold in 2011 with a 59-41 defeat to Australia in the final.New Zealand

By Nick Butler at the Ballsbridge Hotel in DublinNovember 17 - International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset has opened the governing body's 11th General Assembly here today with player welfare and Olympic participation the leading items on the agenda.

will also witness the handing back to the IRB of the Webb Ellis Cup, the World Cup winners trophy, by New

Zealand team captain Richie McCaw, as well as the induction of legends from various British and

We also need to ensure as we grow that our participation strategies reach and inspire new boys and girls

By Nick ButlerNovember 15 - Hosts Australia swept all three team titles on offer to continue their domination on the final day of the Oceania Para-Table Tennis Championships in Canberra.

Pellisier competing in Canberra on the way to class 6-8 team gold © Jeff CrowThey overcame the New

Caledonian and New Zealand pairing of Avelino Monteiro and Ayush Bhatnagar in the final but only after

New Zealand won gold in the singles and earlier in the week and the international teams pushed Australia

Championships next September after winning their classes.Australia won six singles titles overall with New

By Gary AndersonNovember 14 - USA Wheelchair Rugby and USA Rugby have announced a new partnership agreement

As part of the new collaboration, USA Rugby will help to raise awareness for the sport of wheelchair

rugby through the development of a new website and the support of various digital platforms.It is hoped

as Gumbert and his charges emerged victorious in the Tri-Nations tournament in Sydney which also saw New

Zealand competing.A very successful year was rounded off last month as the US secured their third consecutive

Duncan MackayNovember 13 - Kit McConnell is joining the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as its new

The 40-year-old New Zealander will replace Christophe Dubi, due to become the new IOC's Executive Director

Zealand [2011] that have played a major part in the growth and profile of rugby worldwide," said McConnell

nbsp;Kit McConnell take over as IOC sports director from Christophe Dubi (right), who will become the new

Zealand lifted the trophy ©Getty Images"Kit has achieved much during his 10 years at the IRB," said&

"We are once again on track to achieve our aim of breaking new markets, attracting record audiences and

Federation (ISAF) Sailor of the Year Awards night as Australian Matt Belcher and Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie of New

Zealand picked up the male and female accolades at the Al Bandar Hotel in Muscat.

Page's retirement after the Olympics, Belcher regrouped and continued his dominance on the water with new

already turning their attentions to Rio 2016 where they will be going all out to secure a place on the New

Zealand team and defend their Olympic crown."