The Queensland Reds have missed a prime chance to jump to the top of the Australian conference with a 27-13 Super Rugby loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce kept the Sydney Roosters in touch with NRL leaders South Sydney, engineering a 12-8 win over North Queensland on Saturday in Townsville.

Jonny Wilkinson delivered another brilliant display of goalkicking to guide Toulon to its first European Cup title, booting 11 points in a 16-15 victory over Clermont-Auvergne in an all-French final in Dublin.

The Bulls charged past the Highlanders 35-18 in Super Rugby to retain control of the South African conference and move second overall as Springboks Pierre Spies and Morne Steyn reached milestones.

Berrick Barnes has led the NSW Waratahs to a priceless 28-22 victory over Super Rugby frontrunners the Brumbies on a night of carnage for Wallabies hopefuls at ANZ Stadium.

The Warriors' NRL season is in freefall following an astonishing 62-6 record-breaking loss.

After two days of being oppressed by New Zealand, England broke the stranglehold in impressive style to take charge halfway through the first test at Lord's.

The Crusaders have beaten the Blues 23-3 in a classic Super Rugby grudge match at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.

Fullback Josh Dugan has played a starring role in his return to the NRL for St George Illawarra, scoring two tries in the Dragons' 32-12 win over Parramatta in Wollongong.

New Zealand free skiier Rose Battersby still has aspirations of competing at next year's winter Olympics in Russia, despite breaking her back in January.

Emma Gilmour will debut her locally built Suzuki Swift.

Daniel Rutledge reviews Snitch, the latest Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson movie.

A series of scandals is threatening to derail US president Barack Obama's second term.

Wellington company Xero has scooped the top prize at the annual Hi-Tech Awards.

Video highlights, live stream commentary, live updates as they happen and minute-by-minute, and all the action as the Crusaders host the Blues at AMI Stadium in Christchurch for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

Eventing legend Sir Mark Todd was one of a number of sports stars who have been honoured at Buckingham Palace.

The United States' Obama administration denounced Russia on Friday for providing Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime with anti-ship missiles.

It's being described as one of the most exciting developments in in-vitro fertilisation treatment in decades.

The head of one of our biggest banks wants the Government to revamp the tax laws to curb the property market.

A big second quarter has carried the Southern Steel to a 65-58 upset over defending champions the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and into the top four of the trans-Tasman netball league.

Parliament has passed amendments to the Crown Minerals Amendment Act which restrict anti-mining protests.

A Work and Income employee has emailed the private details of 34 beneficiaries to another claimant by mistake.

We, the taxpayers, also paid for parliamentarians to debate the appropriateness of the clothing one politician was wearing in the house.

New Zealand's beef and lamb is still being blocked from entering China.

A late penalty try at last gave the Melbourne Rebels something to smile about as they recorded a breakthrough 30-21 win over the Stormers in their Super Rugby clash at AAMI Park.

Only if Spurs beat Sunderland, and Arsenal drop points at Newcastle, will Andre Villas-Boas be managing in the Champions League next season.

Having won the UEFA Europa League, Chelsea's focus returns to the English Premier League when they face Everton.

Stoke has launched an internal investigation after American midfielder Brek Shea posted a picture of himself holding a severed pig's head while in the team's locker room.

Finance Minister Bill English joins The Nation in the studio to discuss the Budget.

The Sharks have returned to the Super Rugby winners' list with a gritty 23-13 win over the Western Force in Perth on Friday night.

Less than two years ago the Wests Tigers were the swashbuckling entertainers of the NRL and the side tipped for NRL premiership glory sooner rather than later.

Brisbane forward David Stagg may have suffered a career-ending knee injury as the Broncos punished an ill-disciplined Gold Coast 32-6 at Suncorp Stadium.

New Zealand maintained their upper hand over England throughout a gloomy but tension-filled second day of the first cricket Test at Lord's.

Without its latest chapter, Bobby Womack's life would have read like a Greek tragedy.

A former politician says that police brutality in South Africa is as bad now as it was during the apartheid era.

Beth Orton is back with her new album 'Sugaring Season'.

The Chiefs showed their defensive resilience to hold out the Hurricanes 17-12 on Friday night to go top of the Super Rugby table.

A crew member of a cruise ship who was seriously injured about 240 km north of Cape Reinga was been rescued by helicopter.

Since Anchor released their new milk bottles the company has been inundated with calls from angry consumers.

Tonight comes the Budget announcement you didn't hear yesterday a Food for Schools.

A Christchurch runner, whose training regime would leave many athletes gasping, is about to take on some of Australia's fittest.

A senior Australian politician has fallen foul of social media.

Kiwi heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker's extended his unbeaten record to 5-0 with a unanimous win over Brice Ritani-Coe in Los Angeles.

More than 1000 dangerous buildings are already gone from inside the central city, but even more must come down to make way for the rebuild.

Parents caring for highly disabled adult children are disgusted at the Government's solution.

An international credit rating agency has placed eight smaller New Zealand banks on notice of a credit downgrade.

Virtually all of New Zealand's meat exports have been blocked at the Chinese border.

The Police Commissioner Peter Marshall has threatened to discipline any staff who accept cheap hamburgers and fast food while they're in uniform.

There's been solid support from students here for the tough budget crackdown on graduates living overseas and ignoring their loans.

An old ambulance meticulously decorated by a Pakistani artist has been doing the rounds on Wellington's streets today.

Police had to physically push anti-poverty protestors back after they tried to block the entrance to Vector Arena where John Key is due to give a post-Budget speech.

Police in Rio de Janiero have been forced to admit to using excessive force after one of their helicopters sprayed the streets below with gunfire.

Finance Minister Bill English says it was good to have $900 million to spend in his latest Budget.

It's New Zealand Sign Language Week and it is hoped awareness will be raised to get more Kiwis learning the language.

Australia's budget was also delivered this week, with two significant changes.

The children's commissioner has welcomed Government initiatives to address child poverty, despite the Budget being less generous than expected.

Launch trailer for Metro: Last Light, the post-apocalyptic sequel to Metro 2033.

Vin Diesel returns as Riddick and inds himself up against an alien race of predators.

Customs officers are frustrated they are being forced to return harmful drugs to the community.

The final trailer for Guillermo del Toro's Kaiju vs giant robot movie has been released.