New Zealand Rugby League News
- Sione Faumuina on notice from Cowboys - Rugby league player Sione Faumuina will be sacked by the North Queensland Cowboys unless he adheres to strict new behavioural guidelines after a weekend car accident.
- Aussie league fears European rugby exodus - Rugby league's biggest player agents have described super-rich European rugby union as a monster that will swallow up the NRL's best talent.
- Bulldogs confident Sonny is staying put - Bulldogs officials are confident there is no substance to French media reports linking Sonny Bill Williams to the rugby union club that this week snared Penrith's former Test winger Luke Rooney in a lucrative, two-year deal.
- Civoniceva praises NRL for racism action - Penrith captain Petero Civoniceva praised the NRL and Parramatta for their handling of the racism drama which resulted in a spectator being slapped with a five-year ban.
- Stick to your day job Russell Crowe - NRL chief - NRL chief executive David Gallop has told South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe to stick to his day job.
- Gasnier quiet over future plans - St George Illawarra captain Mark Gasnier is remaining tight-lipped on his future despite reports strongly linking him with French rugby union club Stade Francais.
- Clubs fined over extra players - Manly have been slugged with a $A5000 fine for momentarily having 14 players on the field during the NRL club's 34-14 win over Gold Coast at Skilled Park on Friday.
- Banned spectator insists slur wasn't meant to be racial - Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald last night slammed as "ridiculous" the written apology from the spectator who racially vilified Petero Civoniceva despite him being banned from attending NRL matches for the next five years.
- Tigers to seek out greats to train Benji - Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall is set to make a permanent switch to halfback next NRL season under the tuition of a champion No.7 such as Andrew Johns or Stacey Jones.
- League shortchanged in TV deal - Crowe - Hollywood star and South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe believes rugby league is being shortchanged by an unfair television deal compared to other codes.
- Spectator banned for five years for racial abuse - The spectator that racially abused Petero Civoniceva has been slapped with a five-year ban from rugby league games before coming under attack for his "ridiculous" apology.
- Thurston also racially abused - report - North Queensland rugby league star Johnathan Thurston has been the victim of racial abuse at Parramatta Stadium, The Daily Telegraph reports.
- Eels players identify pair they believe abused Civoniceva - A group of Eels lower-graders sitting in the area of Parramatta Stadium where Penrith captain Petero Civoniceva says he was racially abused have helped to identify those supporters they believe were responsible.
- No room for Sailor in Dragons squad - High-flying St George Illawarra will welcome back star centre pairing Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper in their bid for a record-equalling eighth straight win against Canberra on Sunday.
- Origin reps return to strengthen Warriors - It's back to business for the New Zealand Warriors this week after the high associated with vice-captain Ruben Wiki's 300th National Rugby League (NRL) appearance.
