Cut off his ball

Mathieu van der Poel has pleaded guilty to the assault of two teenage girls on the eve of the world championship road race. Lawyers for the Dutch cyclist have confirmed he was convicted and fined a total of NZ$1,700.

 

Now you’re (not) in NEW YOOOOORK

 

A database that provided faulty predictions on headwinds is being blamed for the bumpy start to Air New Zealand’s flagship service to and from New York. The airline blamed extreme weather for disruption to a non-stop flight from New York to Auckland on Sunday.

 

At least they try-ed

 

The All Blacks’ home test schedule closed out with a harrowing 40-14 win over the Wallabies at Eden Park recently. So, after all the fuckery, the disappointing losses, and talk of how this is the worst All Black team ever, they are now champions of southern hemisphere rugby yet again.

 

Milk profits are moo-ving up

 

Fonterra delivers $583m full-year profit with the farmgate milk price at its strongest ever, with a return at an estimated $13.7 billion to the economy in milk price payments alone this year.

 

Chuck Whina on it, that’s my call

 

A Wellington tauira has launched a petition calling for the Reserve Bank to replace the monarch in the next redesign of coins and notes, with images that better represent New Zealand. Rangatahi Māori, Te Matahiapo Safari Hynes (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu) said it was a chance for New Zealand to think about the role of the monarchy, and the currency was a good start.

 

Got some skunky hydro… strawbs

 

After trialling 1000 strawberry plants last year, 26 Seasons now has 8000 under lights and the plan is to scale up further to 70,000 plants, producing a million punnets of strawberries a year.