Robert van Royen

The opening centre pass of the 14th Netball World Cup is just a week from tomorrow. Netball writer Robert van Royen has so far previewed South Africa and Jamaica as two potentially tough opponents the Silver Ferns might face in Sydney. In part three of our five-part series, it is time to look at Malawi - a team that almost beat the Ferns in their last meeting.

Athletics New Zealand is confident the country's best athletes will be on show in Dunedin in March.

Mika Mafi was one of a handful of players to put his hand up for a spot in the Otago squad for the upcoming ITM Cup season yesterday.

The Southern Stampede locked up home advantage for next month's finals series with two wins against the West Auckland Admirals in Queenstown at the weekend.

Fringe players have got one last chance to impress Otago coach Cory Brown before he unveils his team for the ITM Cup.

Seven Otago riders are in the 30-strong New Zealand team to compete in the world mountain biking championships in Andorra starting on September 1. Sports reporter Robert van Royen caught up with three of them just over a month out from the start of the competition.

The Falcons clinched a playoff spot with a third straight win in the men's A grade competition on Saturday.

Twelve teams in the South will test themselves against the unknown tomorrow.