following a stirring finale to the two-day International Rugby Board World Seven Series tournament in the New

Zealand capital.

Facing Samoa in the final, following their upset 24-14 win over New Zealand in the last four, Fiji

But Mikaele Pesamino, who got the decisive intercept try in the win over New Zealand, struck back for

February 5 - Logan Campbell (pictured) plans to sell his brothel as a peace offering to the New

Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) and to help fund his campaign to compete in the taekwondo competition

The NZOC felt the move was against Olympic values and threatened legal action, while Taekwondo New Zealand

2009: NZOC to sue taekwondo player who is financing London 2012 dream with brothel July 2009: New

Downes February 3 - This year’s Commonwealth Basketball Championships, due to be staged in New

The tournament was not directly connected with the Commonwealth Games, which are being staged in New

experienced difficulty with the scheduling of the national team programmes as Australia, Canada and New

Zealand have all qualified for the FIBA world championship in Turkey," the spokesman said, "

By Duncan Mackay January 22 - Visually impaired cross-country skier Brian McKeever (pictured) will become the first athlete to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics after being today selected by Canada for the Games in Vancouver.

player Natalia Partyka (born without right hand and forearm), Italian archer Paola Fantato (polio) and New

Zealand archer Neroli Susan Fairhall (paraplegic).

By Duncan Mackay January 22 - Visually impaired cross-country skier Brian McKeever (pictured) will become the first athlete to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics after being today selected by Canada for the Games in Vancouver.

player Natalia Partyka (born without right hand and forearm), Italian archer Paola Fantato (polio) and New

Zealand archer Neroli Susan Fairhall (paraplegic).

By Duncan Mackay January 21 - New Zealand's Government today announced a $400,000 (£177,000)

Brownlee said: "These World Championships are held every four years and New Zealand was awarded

Zealand.

He said: "It is the first event in what will be a significant year for New Zealand sport.

Zealand and $12 million (£5 million) for Christchurch, the support we have received from

both the New Zealand Government and the Christchurch City Council is critical in making this a truly

By Duncan Mackay January 21 - New Zealand's Government today announced a $400,000 (£177,000)

Brownlee said: "These World Championships are held every four years and New Zealand was awarded

Zealand.

He said: "It is the first event in what will be a significant year for New Zealand sport.

Zealand and $12 million (£5 million) for Christchurch, the support we have received from

both the New Zealand Government and the Christchurch City Council is critical in making this a truly

By Duncan Mackay January 19 - Stefanie Reid (pictured), one of Canada's top disabled athletes, has switched her allegiance and hopes to compete for Britain at the London 2012 Paralympics, UK Athletics announced today.

Reid is actually eligible to compete for three countries as she also has a New Zealand passport

By Duncan Mackay January 19 - Bennie Brazzell (pictured), who has competed in the Olympics and been drafted into the NFL, has been picked by the United States rugby sevens team to make his international debut without having any prior experience of the sport.

alongside the Fijian team before heading off to the third IRB Sevens World Series event in Wellington, New

Zealand on February 5 and 6.

January 19 - Cadbury has announced that it has signed a sponsorship deal with the New Zealand Olympic

Cadbury New Zealand managing director Matthew Oldham said: "The Olympic Games are, without question

Zealand athletes achieve their dreams and hopefully deliver the most successful Olympic campaigns New

He said: "Cadbury has been making chocolate in New Zealand since the days of Jack Lovelock

enabling us to help our athletes make New Zealand proud.

Games ever for New Zealand.

January 17 - Bill Sweetenham (pictured), British Swimming's former performance director, has been helping Wales' rugby union team prepare for the Six Nations, it has been revealed.

Warren Gatland, Wales' New Zealand-born coach, said: "Bill came in and had a look at our

"He comes from an individual sport and had a new take on some of the things we were doing.

By Duncan Mackay January 12 - South Africa's Paralympic team, who are set to include superstars Oscar Pistorius and Natalie Du Toit (pictured), are to base themselves in Cardiff in the build-up to the London 2012 Games, it has been announced.

It is another coup for Wales, who have already signed dealswith the Australian and New Zealand

The Australians will also be based in Cardiff and Newport and New Zealand in Swansea.

Heritage Alun Ffred Jones said: "Following on from earlier announcements by the Australian and New

Zealand Paralympic teams, this announcement by the South Africans is further good news, and a reflection

shot put champion, has been selected as one of the three finalists for the prestigious New

The shortlist for the award was selected from hundreds of nominated New Zealanders who made extraordinary

Vili also heads the shortlist for the Halberg Awards, New Zealand's top sports awards after another year

New Zealand's football team appear favourites for the team of the year award ahead of women's 420

May 2009: Exclusive - NZ Olympic champion may compete for GB in 2012 February 2009: New

Zealand confident that Olympic gold medallist will not quit for Britain February 2009: New Zealand

January 9 - Australian Mark Regan (pictured) has been selected as the new head coach for Swimming

New Zealand to prepare for the team for London 2012 after Olympic successes with Australia and Denmark

Regan, 49,  has taken the role from Jan Cameron who will focus on her role as Swimming New

But he claimed the challenge of doing the same for New Zealand was too good to pass up, and has already

He has signed a three-year contract and will be expected to help deliver New Zealand's first medal in

abilities and experience that he will be able to work with our coaches to achieve the same results in New

Zealand.

., New Zealand’s largest pay television company, will broadcast this year's Commonwealth Games

after agreeing to buy the rights from Television New Zealand (TVNZ).

was estimated that the state broadcaster faced a NZ$5 million (£2 million) loss on the event in New

Mike Stanley, the President of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NOZC), claimed the transfer

of broadcast rights will bring new levels of coverage of the Commonwealth Games to New Zealanders.

Zealand in 2011 and the London Olympics in 2012.

Related stories September 2009: Viewers in New Zealand may have to pay to watch Commonwealth Games