Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

A sports expert from Amnesty International has expressed surprise over Qatar's interest in hosting a Nations Championship event.

Reports have surfaced about the finals of the new competition being hosted in the Arab country, which has been accused of human rights violations and was heavily criticised when hosting the 2022 Football World Cup.

Amnesty International Felix Jakens joined Piney to discuss.

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The Warriors are striving for a defensive effort that reaps more control as they look to break out of a slump in league's NRL.

This afternoon's game against the Knights in Newcastle comes after a stretch of three winless weekends for the Auckland-based club.

Assistant coach Stacey Jones says a common theme of their struggles has been a lack of dominance in the ruck.

Kick-off is at 4pm.

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Former NZ Rugby chairman Brent Impey believes a Nations Championship hosted in Qatar is a smart move.

Now chair of the Fijian Drua Super Rugby side, Impey says Fiji would seize the chance to participate in a tournament held in the middle-eastern nation.

While acknowledging potential moral dilemmas Impey told Jason Pine that the undeniable financial appeal would be difficult to pass up.

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Dave Heine won the first ever Rotorua marathon.  

He was hoping to compete in the 10km run at this year's event, the 60th anniversary, but illness has had him withdraw.  

Instead, he found time for a chat with Piney, reflecting on his achievement. 

He told him that he didn’t expect to win the race, as it was just meant to be a training run....

The Crusaders are looking to get back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they play the Reds. 

Piney caught up with captain Scott Barrett ahead of the match, and to get some insight on the team's struggles this season. 

“Hopefully we’ve turned our season around and string some wins together late in this competition.” 

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Phillip Wilson has jumped ship from singles to pairs. 

The rower took the gold in the Men’s 8s at the Tokyo Olympics, but has made the decision to compete in the pairs at Paris this year. 

He chatted with Piney about his previous success and whether he feels the pressure of Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, who were undefeated in that boat. 

“You kind of have to not compare yourself to the...

Australia has named their T20 World Cup squad, and there’s one notable omission. 

Adam Peacock, our Australian Correspondent, joined Piney to discuss the reaction to Steve Smith’s absence and whether Wayne Bennett would be able to fix the Rabbitohs. 

He told him that his absence was no big surprise, as there’s far more explosive players available. 

“That’s probably the end of him T20 ...

The Wellington Phoenix are finals-bound. 

They’re awaiting the confirmation of their semifinal opponents, finishing the regular season in second place on the ladder. 

Captain Alex Rufer joined Piney live in studio to look back on the season, answering the question of whether he thinks they can go all the way. 

“I don’t see why not,” he told Piney. 

“We’re a confident tea...

Can you beat Dan Carter? 

The All Blacks legend has teamed up with UNICEF, setting a challenge for rugby enthusiasts with the aim to provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene for children in the Pacific. 

In one hour Carter kicked 273 goals using one ball and one tee, and he’s challenging others to beat his score. 

He joined Piney to discuss the challenge, and give his thoughts on ...