'The rivalry is there': All Whites set their sights on Ashes trophy
The All Whites have a World Cup campaign to build, but the immediate prize against Australia is a small wooden box.
The All Whites have a World Cup campaign to build, but the immediate prize against Australia is a small wooden box.

'The rivalry is there': All Whites set their sights on Ashes trophy
The All Whites have a World Cup campaign to build, but the immediate prize against Australia is a small wooden box.
The Soccer Ashes contains the ashes of a cigar shared by the two captains in 1923 and has been contested, and occasionally lost track of, ever since. Two positive results across the series would bring it back to New Zealand.
Coach Darren Bazeley said the fixture needs little added motivation. Any contest between the two countries carries a rivalry of its own, and having a trophy attached simply sharpens it.
Tonight marks the sixty-sixth meeting between the sides, with both squads treating the series as serious preparation ahead of next year's World Cup.

Greyhound Racing New Zealand chief executive Edward Rennell says the sport is facing a sobering final week, as New Zealand prepares to end commercial greyhound racing from Saturday.

Karin Burger and the Silver Ferns have passed their first major Commonwealth Games test in Glasgow, beating Jamaica 53-48 and ending a difficult run against the Sunshine Girls.

All Blacks assistant coach Tana Umaga says Ireland will arrive at Eden Park without fear next Saturday, putting New Zealand's long unbeaten run at the ground under a sharper spotlight.