League star Willie Mason was banned from making a media appearance at Sonny Bill Williams' debut ITM Cup match for Counties Manukau in Pukekohe last night.

Sonny Bill Williams will return to rugby off the bench tonight as opponents Auckland seek to halt the Steelers' late ITM Cup Premiership semifinal run in Pukekohe.

There is little rest for the ambitious and talented sportsman Sonny Bill Williams. Just nine days after the Roosters were knocked out of the NRL he was back at training.

Sonny Bill Williams has done the smart thing in returning early to New Zealand rugby as tomorrow night's ITM Cup Premiership clash is a must-win for the Steelers.

Sonny Bill Williams is not getting too far ahead of himself, at least publicly, shutting down talk of his certain All Blacks call-up for the November tour.

George Moala has played every minute of every game for Auckland this season, and the team's ironman has also just inked a new Super Rugby deal with the Blues as reward for his solid 2014 ITM Cup.

Tasman continued their remarkable rise in the ITM Cup today, edging Otago 32-24 to seal a place in the Premiership playoffs.

North Harbour made enough of the early impact but Hawke’s Bay showed why they are the Ranfurly Shield holders by fighting back late in their ITM Cup Championship match at Albany last night.

Counties-Manukau managed their first win over Wellington since 2010, hammering one nail in the capital's 2014 rugby coffin.

Manawatu snatched victory from the throes of defeat with a 76th-minute penalty to cement their spot atop the ITM Cup Championship with their sixth win from eight games.

Taranaki took a large stride towards a home Premiership semifinal with a 35-22 victory over second half specialists Auckland before 7611 at New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium.

He says he hates interviews, but that can't possibly be because he doesn't like talking. Trust me, Kieran Keane, KK, head honcho of

North Harbour is hoping wing Tevita Li can up his work-rate and rediscover his form as they prepare for tonight's ITM Cup crossover clash with Canterbury in Albany.

It remains to be seen how seriously some unions take the inaugural national Under-19 tournament kicking off this weekend as it is an important developmental and talent ID tool.

A man who choked his victim in the toilet of a Dunedin bar has been sentenced to five years in prison, for the manslaughter of Ryan Court.

This wasn't the homecoming that Jason Woodward envisaged, writes Daniel Richardson.

After a solid, 32-7 dismantling of North Harbour in Saturday's annual grudge match at Eden Park, Auckland lie fourth in the Premiership as they gear up for an away trip.

Manawatu kept themselves in the box seat for a home semifinal after dismissing Southland 41-20 at FMG Stadium tonight.

The rivalry between Auckland and North Harbour has paled significantly since the infamous Battle of Onewa 20 years ago, with the neighbouring sides playing out a dour, scrappy encounter at Eden Park tonight.

Hawkes Bay deserved to retain the Ranfurly Shield with a convincing second defence led by halfback Chris Eaton and first five-eighths Ihaia West.

Robbie Robinson can't wait for his first North Harbour-Auckland clash this afternoon, and feels it may be akin to the famed Southland-Otago rivalry he knows so well.

The majority of rugby people would have been shocked if the Steelers had won their first match over Canterbury since Joeli Vidiri's heyday in 1998, but the visitors to Pukekohe did enough to go 6-0 for the season in their 28-20 win.