Marc Hinton

The Breakers have confirmed the release of import centre Freddie Gillespie from his contract with the club, paving the way for ex-NBA big man Tacko Fall to join the roster for the rest of the Australian NBL season .

ANALYSIS: It's not often World Rugby get it right, which probably explains why a rebel competition is poised to make an unprecedented raid on the

Final tests of the long rugby year can be banana skin affairs as minds inevitably wander to the beaches and barbies calling players' names for summer.

Judd Flavell will usher in a new era for Tall Blacks basketball at the Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines as the Kiwi hoopsters take what they hope will be a giant stride towards the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup finals.

Northern tour: Italy v All Blacks. Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin. When: Sunday 9.10am (NZT). Coverage: Sky Sport 1, live updates on Stuff.

Northern tour: Italy v All Blacks. Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin. When: Sunday 9.10am (NZT). Coverage: Sky Sport 1, live updates on Stuff.

There will be no place like home for new Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell after an inauspicious start to this new era for New Zealand's national men's basketballers.

New dad. Same old fire in the belly. Far from being discouraged by his heartbreaking Olympic disappointment in Paris, ending in tears of multiple

ANALYSIS: It could have been worse. Unthinkable even. Four defeats could have been five or six.

At Allianz Stadium, Turin: All Blacks 29 (Cam Roigard try 24min, Will Jordan try 39min, Mark Tele'a try 70min, Beauden Barrett try 80min; Beauden