New Zealand

Silver fern tops New Zealand flag referendum

The design beat four other contenders in a nation-wide referendum, according to preliminary results released by the New Zealand Electoral Commission.

Simply titled “Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue)”, the design will go head-to-head with the existing flag in a second referendum in March next year.

“While this is a preliminary result, New Zealanders can now turn their attention to deciding whether to keep the current flag, or replace it,” Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said.

Taylor Swift is definitely in New Zealand

Universal Music today confirmed that Swift, who is rumoured to be shooting a new music video here, is indeed in New Zealand.

The news was also confirmed by Shortland Street star Ido Drent, who shared an Air New Zealand flight with the pop star.

He told TVNZ he talked to Swift outside one of the plane's toilets.

"Yeah, had a good chat to her on the plane outside the lavatory," he told TVNZ. "She's definitely here."

Swift was yesterday rumoured to be on her way here, with fans spotting her at Bethells Beach.

Evacuations in Wellington, Palmerston North

Hundreds of people had to vacate their offices after this morning's threat at the court, with a police cordon put around the block.

The police searched the building with bomb squad dogs looking for a suspect bag until an all-clear was given. No suspicious items were found, they said.

New Zealand beat Australia to retain Rugby World Cup

Wonderful tries from Nehe Milner-Skudder and Ma'a Nonu had given the All Blacks a 21-3 lead early in the second half before David Pocock and Tevita Kuridrani struck back.

With 15 minutes to go there were just four points in it, but a nerveless long-distance drop-goal and penalty from Dan Carter snatched back control.

And when replacement Beauden Barrett sprinted away on to Ben Smith's clearing kick at the death history was made, with New Zealand also becoming the first three-time champions of the world.

Party time for the All Blacks leaving the team behind

Some very, very big names are playing their last games in All Black jerseys and they'll leave a a sizeable hole.

Here's a quick rundown of who's heading off and where they're going:

-Dan Carter (111 caps) is going to Racing 92, a Parisian club known for their outrageous wealth and commitment to aristocratic exclusivity.

-Ma'a Nonu (101 caps) is headed to Toulon, whose owner Mourad Boudjellal courted controversy by comparing some debatable refereeing decisions to being sodomised.

All Blacks keep nerve to beat Springboks

The All Blacks were five points behind at half-time with a man in the sin-bin as four penalties from Handre Pollard cancelled out Jerome Kaino's early try.

A Dan Carter drop-goal and a Beauden Barrett try put the champions ahead.

South Africa replied with two penalties but a Carter effort in between secured victory despite ferocious Bok defence.

It was seldom pretty but once again in this World Cup there was a gripping finale, the All Blacks holding that two-point lead for the last 12 minutes as their opponents finally tired.

Woodcock out of World Cup

The 34-year-old loosehead, who was retiring after the tournament, sustained the injury as the reigning champions beat Tonga 47-9 on Saturday to cruise into the quarter-finals as Pool C winners.

The injury will take at least three weeks to heal, so Woodcock's out of the Cup - and rugby.

The third most-capped prop in the history of the game behind Gethin Jenkins of Wales and England's Jason Leonard, Woodcock scored New Zealand's only try in their 2011 World Cup final triumph.

New Zealand beat Tonga 47-9

Tonga were arguably the better side early on, dominating the breakdown and scrum and forcing a host of penalties.

However, Ben Smith and prop Tony Woodcock both scored first-half tries to give the All Blacks breathing space.

Nehe Milner-Skudder scored twice before Sonny Bill Williams, Sam Cane and Ma'a Nonu applied some second-half gloss.

The permutations

Tonga prepare to tackle the All Blacks

Losses to Georgia and Argentina have all but ended the Ikale Tahi's hopes of making the knockout rounds.

A bonus-point victory against the defending champions would keep alive Tonga's faint hopes of reaching the quarter finals.

NZ on brink of U20 World Cup berth as Tonga eye first win

The Junior Football Ferns have scored 59 unanswered goals in big wins against Tonga, New Caledonia and Vanuatu at the Oceania Championship in Nuku'alofa, and have a maximum nine points with one match remaining.

Samoa will move to seven points if they can beat Vanuatu this afternoon, which would set up a final round decider against New Zealand, who have a bye today.

However a draw would leave them four points adrift of the leaders, gifting the title to New Zealand.