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\nAll Blacks Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett, showing the strain, at the disastrous game against South Africa, at Wellington’s Sky Stadium, on 13 September.
\nPhoto: Kerry Marshall \/ www.photosport.nz\n<\/p>\n
Nothing incapsulates the joy and agony sport had to offer for New Zealand in 2025 more than what the All Blacks experienced in just the span of a week.<\/p>\n
From keeping their 31-year Eden Park record intact, to suffering their biggest-ever defeat just seven days later, Kiwi sports had plenty of highs, but unfortunately, just as many lows over the last 12 months.<\/p>\n
Here is a look back at the roller coaster that was 2025 in New Zealand sport.<\/p>\n
All Blacks Eden Park record intact<\/p>\n
It’s hard to ignore the All Blacks extending their unbeaten streak at Eden Park<\/a> with victory over their biggest foes, the Springboks, in their Rugby Championship clash in September.<\/p>\n While the following week’s horror result in the rematch at Wellington undercuts this performance – and we’ll get to that – it was still more than worthy of a mention.<\/p>\n New Zealand kept their 31-year record intact at the Auckland venue with a gutsy 24-17 win over South Africa.<\/p>\n The All Blacks led throughout the fixture but had to fight off a determined comeback in the second half.<\/p>\n An Ardie Savea penalty – in his 100th test – near the tryline secured New Zealand the win and perhaps more importantly, kept the record at Eden Park alive.<\/p>\n \nAridie Savea wins a penalty and celebrates with Quinn Tupaea and Fabian Holland. Kiwi teen Sam Ruthe breaks record sub-four-minute mile<\/p>\n Kiwi teenager Sam Ruthe became the youngest runner to break four minutes for the mile<\/a>, with sensational performance in unfavourable conditions at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium in March.<\/p>\n Ruthe crossed the finish at 3m 58.35s with the help of training partner and two-time Olympian Sam Tanner pacing him.<\/p>\n \nTrack athlete Sam Ruthe, at Mt Smart Stadium on 19 March. The Tauranga teen was 24 days short of his 16th birthday and beat his own previous age best of 4m 01.72s, set at Whanganui in January.<\/p>\n Ruthe teen became the first 15-year-old to duck under the mythical benchmark for middle-distance running – and did it in the wet and cold.<\/p>\n High-jumper Hamish Kerr soars to gold<\/p>\n In front of an enthralled 37,000 Tokyo crowd, high-jumper Hamish Kerr soared to gold<\/a> at the world championships in September.<\/p>\n The Olympic champion posted a best of 2.36 metres to pick up New Zealand’s second top gong after Geordie Beamish’s shock victory in the men’s 3000m steeplechase.<\/p>\n It also equalled his New Zealand and Oceania record, which followed his Diamond League title win in August.<\/p>\n \nHamish Kerr celebrates after winning the men’s high jump final during the World Athletics Championships, in Tokyo, on 16 September. Kerr capped off a memorable 2025 with the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s highest honour – the Lonsdale Cup.<\/p>\n Wellington woes return with record-defeat<\/p>\n I said we’d get to that disaster night in Wellington and unfortunately, it’s impossible not to include it as a sporting low in 2025.<\/p>\n Just a week on from the fortress-solidifying result at Eden Park, the All Blacks fell to their heaviest defeat in history.<\/a><\/p>\n South Africa overcame a slow start riddled with injuries to put New Zealand to the sword in the last 20 minutes, winning 43-10 to retain the Freedom Cup.<\/p>\n \nThe Springboks were the ones celebrating, on 13 September, in Wellington. The loss was one thing – which has become all too familiar at Sky Stadium – but the nature of the second-half capitulation is what particularly stung.<\/p>\n New Zealand led 10-7 at halftime, only to concede 36 unanswered points after the break for their biggest defeat, home or away, in history.<\/p>\n Parker’s battle in and out of the ring<\/p>\n It wasn’t supposed to be this way.<\/p>\n Kiwi heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker went into his bout with Brit Fabio Wardley riding a six-fight win streak and with a squeaky clean record.<\/p>\n But after 11 rounds, that all came crashing down as Wardley stopped Parker<\/a> in front of a packed O2 Arena in London in October.<\/p>\n Parker was up on the scorecards and looked to be closing in on a victory that would have all but guaranteed his shot at the undisputed championship.<\/p>\n \nFabio Wardley TKOs Joseph Parker. But a ‘Hail Mary’ right hook sent Parker rocking and forced the referee to step in and call the bout off.<\/p>\n To make matters worse, just over two weeks later, it was revealed the Kiwi heavyweight failed a dope test on the day of the fight.<\/p>\n He tested positive for traces of cocaine – which Parker has outright refuted – and could face a lengthy ban from the sport.<\/p>\n Kiwi sailing star Peter Burling announces move to Luna Rossa<\/p>\n It would be too easy to include the entirety of the NZ Netball saga<\/a> which saw coach Dame Noeline Taurua stood down and then reinstated, and has been covered at length.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Andrew Cornaga\/www.photosport.nz\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Andrew Cornaga\/www.photosport.nz\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: ANDREJ ISAKOVIC \/ AFP\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Kerry Marshall \/ www.photosport.nz\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Richard Pelham\/Getty Images\n<\/p>\n