The hard questions
The Hard Questions
The best thing about the sites I've been able to work for is that they've given me the opportunity to tackle some big issues. Here's a selection of stories where I went outside the touchlines and questioned what was really going on.
Originally published September 25, 2021 for RNZ
All Blacks v Springboks: The pain that won't go away
There's something deeply unsettling about bringing up something someone wants to forget. The unmentionable narrative, the thing that only rears its head after a few drinks or behind closed doors accompanied by tears.
Originally published September 2, 2017, for The Spinoff
One year on, Losi Filipo’s chance at redemption isn’t just for him
It was a wet, greasy game last night at the grandly-named Rotorua International Stadium. The weather and the prospect of watching Bay of Plenty cop a foreseeable hiding at the hands of a strong Wellington team probably kept many local fans away, as well as the fact that the game was on a Thursday night.
Originally published November 7, 2018, for The Spinoff
More than a game: the view from the crowd at Tonga vs Samoa
Despite media reports concentrating on sporadic violence in the leadup, the Tonga-Samoa RLWC international on Saturday was one of the best live sporting atmospheres in recent New Zealand history, writes Jamie Wall. And one that could have happened nowhere else on earth.