Stories by Joe Porter
News
Canada rugby fans welcome All Blacks challenge
Canadian fans are relishing the chance to see their team take on the All Blacks tonight at the Rugby World Cup - but most admit there is no chance they can win.
Rugby World Cup: 'Fantastic vibe' at All Blacks fan day
An enthusiastic crowd of locals and All Black fans have turned up in Beppu, where the New Zealand team is based, to watch Rotorua kapa haka performers and Kiwi band SIX60. Video
Rugby World Cup: Japanese fans reactions to history-making victory
Fans of Japanese rugby have been talking about their hopes, surprise and even tears at the sensational win over Ireland at the Rugby World Cup. Audio
Rugby World Cup: How to be a good tourist
If you are already in Japan or heading there for the latter stages of the Rugby World Cup, Joe Porter has a guide on what to do and what to avoid as a fan.
Rugby World Cup: Defence Blacks mistaken for All Blacks
The New Zealand Defence Force rugby team is taking on cult status as it travels through Japan, often mistaken for the Rugby World Cup holders the All Blacks.
Rugby World Cup: Samoan support alive and well in Japan
When Samoa take the field tonight for their 2019 Rugby World Cup opener against Russia, they will have an ardent local supporter waving her Samoan flag in the stands.
Rugby World Cup: 'Steve Hansen ... he's a smart dude'
Steve Hansen and the All Blacks have won a vote of confidence from a group of fans from the Asian country with the oldest rugby union - Sri Lanka.
Rugby fans flock to famous dog statue in Tokyo
It's not just rugby players that fans are queuing up for photos with at the World Cup in Japan.
Brilliant off the field, but game day problems loom for Rugby World Cup
All Blacks fans will have a brilliant time outside of the stadiums at this year's World Cup, but there could be more than a few fans frustrated on game day, according to Joe Porter.
All Blacks favourites but Rugby World Cup is wide open
This year's Rugby World Cup should be the most fiercely fought yet, with half a dozen teams a genuine chance of usurping the All Blacks from their throne.
All Blacks: Are they ready for the Rugby World Cup?
The All Blacks fly to Japan this morning for the Rugby World Cup. Are they on track for an unprecedented third straight title?
All Blacks dream: A Bridge not too far
Born and raised in Manutuke in rural Gisborne, George Bridge didn't look destined to be an All Black, before a phone call when he was 17 set him on the road that's now taking him to the World Cup in… Audio
Steve and Liam: A seer and a squire
Sports Call - Liam Squire can be expected to be named in the All Blacks squad. Rugby reporter Joe Porter envisions that it all came to Steve Hansen in a dream...
Horses and rugby - a love that nearly ended the other for Aleisha Nelson
Black Fern Aleisha-Pearl Nelson shouldn't be playing rugby, at least that's what the doctors said, though the Auckland prop has beaten the odds twice to achieve her ultimate dream. Audio
Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate: A singer, a joker, a lineout thrower
Dual rugby and league international, now Black Ferns hooker, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate is forging her own path in the black jersey and is helping to blaze a trail for rugby loving girls in Northland. Video, Audio
All Blacks: What does the Bledisloe Cup squad reveal?
Analysis - RNZ rugby reporter Joe Porter looks at who the biggest winners and losers are from the latest All Blacks cull and what it means for the world cup.
Capital Crime - can the Springboks roll the All Blacks again?
The All Blacks host South Africa in a sold out test in Wellington tomorrow night and all eyes will be on whether the Springboks can conjure up another boil-over in the capital.
Crusaders: One of sport's greatest dynasties?
Analysis - The Crusaders have the chance to create a dynasty that's never been matched in Super Rugby, writes Joe Porter.
What a Super Rugby title means to Canterbury
A Crusaders Super Rugby three-peat looms, but how much will a win mean to a region and city recovering from earthquakes and the Christchurch terror attacks, writes Joe Porter. Audio
Few surprises expected in All Blacks squad
Sports Call - Don't expect many bolters or shock selections, Steve Hansen's first All Black squad for a World Cup year will be typically conservative, writes Joe Porter.
Can the Hurricanes give the Crusaders the hurry up?
The semi-finals have arrived in Super Rugby and the big question is, can anyone stop a Crusaders three peat?
Japan: Is it really a rugby pro's paradise?
Japan is becoming a leading destination for New Zealand rugby players heading offshore, but is it a rugby pro's paradise or a field of disappointment?
NZ and Japan rugby: A blossoming affair
Sports Call - The connection between New Zealand and Japanese rugby is growing all the time, with partnerships popping up all over the place, writes RNZ's Joe Porter.
The birth of rugby in Japan: Conflicting claims
While Japan might not be famous for its love of the oval ball, its connection with rugby dates back further than New Zealand's.
Rugby:Joseph faces up to Japan challenge
Former All Black Jamie Joseph is tasked with getting Japan to the knockout stages of a rugby World Cup for the first time.