D4 WEEKENDSPORT Saturday, April 23, 2011 THE PRESS, Christchurch BASKETBALL IN BRIEF Head1 Scholz to retire ❯❯ Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic import Peta Scholz is set to retire from netball at Don’t get comfortable, Breakers the end of the trans-Tasman netball league season. The Marc Hinton TEAMS If they’re desperate enough. means playing like we’re 35-year-old Australian has This is new for the down one game. loved her time in New Zealand, Desperation mode suited the NZ BREAKERS: Paul Henare, Kirk Breakers. After spending the ‘‘It is hard when you’re up playing for the Magic this year Breakers. They not only Penney, Tom Abercrombie, Mika last fortnight scrapping for one to be able to change your and last, but when her team’s survived, they thrived in it. Vukona, Gary Wilkinson, Kevin their lives, suddenly they’re mindset, but it’s something run ends in the ANZ Champion- Braswell, C J Bruton, Corey But just how good are the Webster, Dillon Boucher, Alex in the driver’s seat and even we’re going to have to do. It ship, Scholz is set to pull the Kiwi hoopsters back in the Pledger. have a little wiggle room. will be a different Cairns team pin. The 1.80m wing defence comfort zone? We will find out CAIRNS TAIPANS: Ayinde Ubaka, Lose, and they do it all again that steps on court. It’s going originally retired from the tomorrow evening (6pm Lindsay Tait, Daniel Dillon, Aaron in Auckland next Friday. to be a dogfight for whoever sport in 2007 after 11 seasons tipoff, NZ time) when the New Grabau, Phill Jones, Ron Dorsey, No big deal. wins this series.’’ with the Adelaide Thunder- Alex Loughton, Ian Crosswhite, birds in Australia’s Common- Zealand club plays for its first Dusty Rychart, Dean Brebner. Just how the Breakers Boucher’s right. Cairns Australian NBL title at the handle the change in their will not play so meekly for a wealth Bank Trophy competi- Cairns Convention Centre. situation, and especially in second straight game, especi- tion, and 54 caps for Australia If they back up Wednes- the trans-Tasman netball their mindset, will hold the ally not in front of 5000 between 1999 and 2004. day’s grand finals opener at competition also dominated key to whether Kirk and co passionate fans who sold the the North Shore Events by the Australians. close out their first title with a Snakepit out in two hours. Big decision Centre (NSEC) – a resounding This is the Breakers’ series sweep tomorrow. Alex Loughton and Daniel 85-67 victory – and topple the eighth season in the tough ‘‘It’s going to be a huge Dillon won’t combine for zero ❯❯ Major League Soccer says Taipans for a second straight Aussie league, and they’ve mindset change,’’ admits for- points again. They won’t give the Los Angeles Galaxy will game, the celebrations will spent the last four building to ward Boucher. up 22 extra shots again. make the decision on whether begin. And the North Shore this point. It’s basketball’s ‘‘Kiwis are very good when ‘‘We caught them by sur- to attempt to re-sign David outfit will have written their biggest moment in New our backs are against the prise and they didn’t expect Beckham based on football place in New Zealand sporting Zealand since the heroics of wall, when the odds are our intensity and defence,’’ ability and not his celebrity history. the 2001-02 Tall Blacks – a side stacked against us. said Boucher. ‘‘They’ll come status. MLS president Mark No Kiwi team has won a that contained current ‘‘Well, right now the odds out fighting. It’s their backs Abbott said ‘‘there have been major Australian sporting Breakers Kirk Penney, Dillon are all in our favour. So we against the wall right now, so many benefits’’ to the league in a combined 34 Boucher and Paul Henare – have to come out and play not and that’s exactly where we league acquiring Beckham. He Competitive: Breakers forward Dillon Boucher says his team needs to stay desperate to claim their first ANBL seasons of fruitless endea- and it’s theirs for the taking. only good basketball but were for game two of the is in the final season of a five- title. Photo: JASON OXENHAM vour. Even more if you count If they’re good enough. desperation basketball. That semis.’’ Fairfax year, US$32.5 million (NZ$40.5m) contract. Beckham will travel next week to London for the royal wedding RUGBY LEAGUE on April 29. The Galaxy play at Dallas on May 1, but Abbott said the league had no issue with his schedule. Riding with wing of the Storm Baa-baas date ❯❯ The Wallabies will face the LATE LEAGUE Barbarians at Twickenham Could Matt Duffie become a Kaiapoi after this year’s World Cup, the Brisbane 31 (A Glenn, D Australian Rugby Union said Kiwi? TONY SMITH talks to the Lockyer, S Thaiday, P yesterday. The Barbarians, Wallace, J Yow Yeh tries; C who have beaten New Zealand Melbourne Storm wing about his Parker 5 goals D Lockyer and South Africa in the past field goal) bt Wests Tigers 18 two years, will meet Australia Canterbury connections. (T Moltzen 2, R Lui tries; B on November 26, looking to Marshall 3 goals) at Sydney secure a hat-trick of southern elbourne Storm Jaguars to claim him as their Football Stadium. Referee: hemisphere scalps. ‘‘Our two sensation Matt own. ‘‘My dad is a pretty Tony Archer, Brett Suttor. most recent games have been MDuffie may be on the proud supporter of Crowd: 19,494. great spectacles and the vic- brink of NRL stardom and his [Pakuranga] and he always Manly 22 (S Matai 2, M tories over the All Blacks and first Kiwis cap but he still told me I’m a Jaguars boy. But Oldfield, M Robertson tries; D Springboks have captured spares a thought for his I don’t mind if the Bulldogs Cherry-Evans 3 goals) bt everyone’s imagination,’’ said earthquake-afflicted Christ- [claim me too].’’ Penrith 16 (N Plum, D Barbarians’ president Micky church club. The 20-year-old Auckland-born Duffie Simmons, T Tahu tries; M Steele-Bodger. The match played two seasons for the played rugby union as a Gordon 2 goals) at Brookvale continues a long tradition of Kaiapoi Bulldogs in his early nipper but had two years of Storming play: Matt Duffie is putting his hand up for a spot in the Kiwis. Oval, Sydney. Referee: Jason Wallabies vs Barbarians games teens after a job transfer took rugby league with the Photo: MICHAEL BRADLEY Robinson, Phil Haines. Crowd: – the last of which was hosted his family to Christchurch Jaguars before he came to 14,623. in Australia in 2009 at the Syd- from Auckland. Christchurch as a 13-year-old were meant to be auctioned at around [State of] Origin time ney Football Stadium. The So when Duffie heard the with his mother and younger a fundraising dinner when the big stars were teams have met 10 times, with now-Northern Bulldogs lost brother when his stepfather featuring Australian great away’’. state capital after the initial the Australians leading 7-3. their clubrooms and home got a job here. Wally Lewis. But it had to be But he got thrown in the shock of ‘‘being away from ground at Kaiapoi’s Murphy On winter Saturdays he postponed after the February deep end against his boyhood home, with no family Captain sacked Seymour keen to Park in the September 4 played rugby union for 22 quake. idols, the Warriors. Just days around’’. Duffie committed earthquake, he responded as Kaiapoi, starring at centre or The Bulldogs were Duffie’s before Duffie’s debut, the himself this week to a three- ❯❯ Kenyan cricket captain quickly as he does to a Billy at lock as his team won North last club before the Storm. At Storm were stripped of their year contract extension in Jimmy Kamande yesterday Slater break. He heard Canterbury junior titles. On 15, he returned to Auckland 2007 and 2009 titles, fined Melbourne. He was flattered became the second casualty help team spark through Russell Tuuta – one Sundays he donned a and enrolled at St Kentigern $500,000 and forced to play to get an offer from the Eels to be sent packing following of his coaches at Kaiapoi – Bulldogs jersey and played College and helped the first without points for the rest of where Kearney, a former the country’s worst World Cup Recalled scrumhalf Brett Sey- season as the No 1 scrumhalf, that ‘‘the Bulldogs’ ground got rugby league in a team XV win the Auckland sec- the 2010 season after being Storm assistant, and Brad performance in two decades, mour knows he will be the he was philosophical about pretty beaten up’’. Tuuta’s coached by the Two Tuutas – ondary schools competition. found guilty of severe salary- Arthur, his Toyota Cup cricket officials say. No expected go-to man as the being demoted. son, Michael, was one of his Russell, a former New He was a track and field cap breaches. Melbourne mentor, are now replacement has been named New Zealand Warriors try to ‘‘It was a decision that Ivan closest Kaiapoi High School Zealand Residents standout too, winning Auck- But the firestorm did not based. for the veteran all-rounder, get their National Rugby had to make at the time on the mates. Duffie said he ‘‘spent a representative, and Brendon, land titles and making nation- deter Duffie from scoring two He ‘‘took a while to make who took over the captaincy of League (NRL) campaign back back of three losses,’’ he said.