In two starts at fullback against the Wallabies, Barrett has reminded everyone just how good he is. He might not have the same explosiveness or speed of a 20-something-year-old, but his instincts and ability certainly have not declined. He has injected himself nicely into the attack, with two tries in Sydney on Saturday<\/a>, including a long-range intercept, but his defensive work over the last two weeks should be commended as well as he has been in position to tidy up some potentially tricky situations and has thrown himself into work around the breakdown where and when it has been needed.<\/p>\n Not to be outdone, Taylor had his best performance of the season in Saturday night\u2019s win. In taking over as captain with Ardie Savea out injured, Taylor led the way with his ball-carrying, breaking the line a few times to get the side on the front foot, while he had a characteristically high tackle count and the set piece functioned pretty well when he was on the park.<\/p>\n While Barrett said early last week that he doesn\u2019t listen to the outside noise around his position in the team, performances like this challenge the idea that these veterans are ready to be written off. I hope they continue to prove people (myself included) wrong.<\/p>\n Loser: Men\u2019s Rugby League World Cup draw <\/p>\n Who comes up with this stuff? <\/p>\n Pool A makes sense \u2013 four teams, everyone plays each other once and the top two teams move into the semi-final.<\/p>\n Then you get to the rest of it. Generally in a tournament, teams will play opponents in their own pool and the top however many move on. Not here. The Rugby League World Cup prefers a more confusing methodology.<\/p>\n Instead, Pool B and C feature three teams in each and only play the teams in the opposite pool. After that, the pools are combined and the top two teams between them then move on, so there is a chance that one pool is not represented in the semi-finals at all.<\/p>\n It was a move brought about by a reduction in teams \u2013 from 16 down to just 10 \u2013 and, as Nick Bewley points out on the Big League Podcast<\/a>, seems like it\u2019s manufactured for several outcomes: Australia and New Zealand to play each other at least once, Tonga and Samoa to play each other at least once, and the potential for an Australia-New Zealand final.<\/p>\n Cutting the number of entries also means there are no quarter-finals, meaning some decent teams will miss out on the knockout stages. Had they cut the number down to 12 instead of 10, maybe they could have perhaps had another knockout round, with eight teams progressing. It\u2019s now trending towards the potential of the semi-finals simply turning into a Pacific Championship.<\/p>\n Winners: Brutal Black Ferns <\/p>\n Thirteen tries. 81 points. No mercy.<\/a> <\/p>\n The Black Ferns have looked every part a world-leading team in 2027, playing a brand of rugby that appears to have found the balance between the physicality of their pack and the speed and skill in the backline. There seems to be a clear focus on winning through the middle and earning the right to attack the space created out wide.<\/p>\n And in the first of three tests against a new-look French team, the visitors could not stop their hosts.<\/p>\n The Black Ferns were able to open up the French defence often and when the visitors had possession, the New Zealand defence was dominant in the tackle and got off the line quickly to pressure ball-handlers. <\/p>\n When it came to icing their moments, the Black Ferns were more clinical than they were on their European tour \u2013 a key lesson from that trip.<\/p>\n With two tests left this year \u2013 against France in Whang\u0101rei and Christchurch \u2013 the New Zealand side continue to show the potential they have, which bodes well for next year\u2019s Lions tour and, looking much further ahead, the World Cup in 2029.<\/p>\n Losers: White Ferns\u2019 wait goes on<\/p>\n The New Zealand cricketers fell to a two-wicket defeat against Australia on Sunday night in the first of three T20s.<\/p>\n An unbeaten 85-run knock from Georgia Plimmer, with Maddy Green also not out on 52, wasn\u2019t enough to see the White Ferns home. Posting 162-2 after their 20 overs, Australia were able to chase it down with seven balls \u2013 and two wickets \u2013 to spare, Ellyse Perry leading the way with 52.<\/p>\n Plimmer was named player of the match, but it was little consolation as the New Zealand outfit fell to their 10th T20 loss to Australia in a row. You have to go back to March 2021 to find the last time the White Ferns beat their Australian counterparts in a T20.<\/p>\n Winner: Daniel Hillier surges ahead <\/p>\n After a poor start at the DP World Tour India Championship, it would have been easy to write off Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier\u2019s hopes at saving a decent result.<\/p>\n By the end of the second round, the 28-year-old was in contention to win the tournament.<\/p>\n This was an important week for Hillier\u2019s hopes of securing a PGA Tour card<\/a> in 2027, with the top 10 players on the former European Tour not already exempt invited to join the American tour next year.<\/p>\n Hillier went into India holding the last of those spots, but with some big events still on the schedule, that could easily be snatched from his grasp.<\/p>\n But Hillier showed determination to storm home in India, holding the clubhouse lead when he finished his final round before ultimately settling for second place at 19-under-par, two shots behind the Spanish winner, Eugenio Chacarra.<\/p>\n As a result, Hillier jumped from No 14 to No 8 in the DP World Tour rankings, which sees him move to fifth on the list of 10 potential PGA Tour call-ups.<\/p>\n Winners: Silver Ferns make a statement <\/p>\n The Silver Ferns could not have got off to a more satisfying start. <\/p>\nCodie Taylor was among the All Blacks’ best in their win over the Wallabies in Sydney. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n
The Black Ferns impressed in their big win over France in Hamilton. Photo \/ Alyse Wright<\/p>\n
Daniel Hillier finished second in the DP World Tour India Championship. Photo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n