Sport

March sports highlights: What’s coming up

15:39 pm on 29 February 2024

Joseph Parker, Crusaders, Shaun Johnson, Phoenix, Black Caps, Breakers Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The rugby season's underway, the Warriors are just around the corner and Joseph Parker is set to return to the ring. If you thought February was busy, March is going to ramp it up even further for sports content, here's what's coming up:

NRL

Warriors v Sharks

March 8

Go Media Stadium Mt Smart

Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson takes on Kiwis teammate and Cronulla Sharks forward Briton Nikora. Photo: Photosport

It's a safe bet Mt Smart will be full for the first Warriors game of the season. It's a replay of a match that won the club a Halberg Award for Sporting Moment of the Year, but more importantly it's when the rubber really meets the road for Andrew Webster's side. There's no flying under the radar this year, the Warriors' preliminary final appearance in 2023 has seen them marked as a real premiership threat.

Other home games in March include a trip back to Christchurch to face the Raiders, then back at Mt Smart against the Knights.

Super Rugby Pacific

Blues v Crusaders

March 23

Eden Park

Photo: www.photosport.nz / John Davidson

Out of all the games next month in Super Rugby, this one stands as the most important. Not just because of the rivalry on the field between the two powerful teams, with the Blues keen to improve their recent poor record against the Crusaders. This is also a really big moment in optics for rugby, by that date the NRL would be well underway and the size of crowd that Eden Park can pull will be a big topic.

As well as that game, there are a bunch of other local derbies - notably the Crusaders and Hurricanes play on March 15 and the Chiefs and Highlanders on March 23.

Joseph Parker v Zhilei Zhang

March 9 (NZT)

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Joseph Parker celebrates victory following the WBC International & WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight title fight Photo: Richard Pelham

The resurrection of Joe Parker's career was an early Christmas present late last year, when the heavyweight upset former world champion Deontay Wilder in a unanimous decision win. He returns to the Saudi desert to fight the imposing Chinese big man Zhang, who stands at 1.93m and has a has a 26-1-1 record. Most importantly, he knocked out Joe Joyce twice last year, Joyce being the last man to defeat Parker.

A win here for Parker will trigger an automatic rematch clause as Zhang is the WBO interim champion, once that's out of the way the path may finally be clear for a main event title fight. Anthony Joshua is fighting MMA star Francis Ngannou on the same card, which will be an intriguing watch as well.

Wellington Phoenix

Phoenix v Sydney FC

March 16, Eden Park

Kosta Barbarouses of the Phoenix celebrates after scoring a goal during in the A-League Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 'Nix are currently top of the A League table and will be wanting to stay there by the time April starts, with games against Adelaide, Melbourne City, Sydney and Brisbane over the next four weeks. The big one is on the 16th against Sydney FC at Eden Park, where they'll be hoping to pull their biggest crowd of the season.

Hopefully by the end of the month the momentum will be well behind the side as they attempt to win their first ever A-League title.

Test cricket

Black Caps v Australia

Second test

March 8, Hagley Oval

Pat Cummins and Tim Southee pose with the trophy ahead of the 2024 New Zealand Blackcaps v Australia Test Series at the Basin Reserve, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The New Zealand summer closes with the biggest challenge the Black Caps can face, with the Aussies hungry for a series victory to put them back on track to defend their ICC World Test Championship. They still have to get through the first test at the Basin Reserve, but by the time the second test starts that's plenty of time to have adapted to New Zealand conditions.

If the Black Caps are going to pull off an upset, they are going to have to get their bats working. This series could be determined on a couple of key partnerships, so Kane Williamson's wicket will be vital.

NZ Breakers

Breakers v Illawarra Hawks

March 4, WIN Sports and Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

Parker Jackson-Cartwright of the Breakers drives to the basket Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Win or the season is over: that's the simple equation for the Breakers as their 2023-24 campaign comes down to this do-or-die match up with the Hawks. They pulled off a clutch 83-76 win over Sydney in the NBL's play-in qualifier, their hopes may rest on the fitness of Will McDowell-White and Zylan Cheatham.

A win will see them progress to a semi-final against Melbourne United on Thursday 7 March.