All Blacks and IWD

Tuesday saw International Women’s Day take place once more, and the world came together on social media to share, support, and celebrate the women in their lives.

For many, it’s a day of real action and change, where initiatives reach their climax and awareness of issues gets critical exposure. 

For others though, it’s a chance to simply celebrate - but even that comes with its own risk. 

Take New Zealand Rugby, for example, who was forced to admit publicly that it "didn't get it right", in a damaging few hours for the global board. 

The apology stemmed from an IWD post from the All Blacks Twitter account that read "Forever grateful to all the women in our lives that allow us to play the game we love," before being accompanied only by pictures of male players with their partners, daughters and female family members.

New Zealand's women team meanwhile - known as the Black Ferns - were left to post from their own separate account, which has a far smaller following than that of NZ Rugby. 

"We didn't get it right and we apologise," the board said.

"Our entire rugby whanau [community or family] are so proud of our Black Ferns and all our wahine [women], in everything that they do on and off the pitch," said NZR, but the damage was already done.

PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Impact

Golf is currently locked in a bitter civil war. 

The threat of a Saudi Arabian-backed rival league, fronted by former world number one Greg Norman, has dominated headlines in recent months.

The main tour in the United States and Europe's DP World Tour have threatened to ban golfers who sign up to the proposed new super league project.

This week, as the Player’s Championships starts, the debates and discussions are set to hit fever pitch, and that’s why our main feature this month will be a focus on the ins and outs, pitfalls and opportunities, of golf’s most divisive story in years.

Stay tuned.

Goodbye to Warney

We close this edition of the Notebook with a nod to one of world sport’s great entertainers, who sadly passed away this last week, in Shane Warne. 

One of cricket’s greatest players, and biggest characters, Warne’s ability and mastery of the magic skills in the game cast a spell over anyone who watched him, and the entire sports team at Miller want to share our best wishes and condolences to all of his friends and family - he was an inspiration to us all.