Hoani Smith – The Conversation

Phil Walter/Getty Images

September 13, 2026

Private money is coming to NZ netball. Other sports should be paying close attention

Hoani Smith, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Phil Borell, University of Canterbury, and Tom Kavanagh, Lincoln University, New Zealand

Private investment promises new money and expertise for NZ netball. But its success will depend on who benefits – and what happens to the wider game.

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August 30, 2026

We can’t all be like LeBron James at 41. But these athletes still have lots to teach us about active ageing

Mike Annear, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Hoani Smith, Lincoln University, New Zealand, and Richard Keith Wright, Auckland University of Technology

Elite athletes share with the rest of us a common underlying physiology and the capacity to adapt significantly to training. It’s never too late to start.

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August 13, 2026

Could saunas and ice baths affect male fertility? Here’s what the evidence says

Hoani Smith, Lincoln University, New Zealand and Conrad Goodhew, University of Canterbury

Online wellness trends claim saunas and cold plunges can boost male fertility. The evidence tells a more nuanced story – and some claims don’t stack up.

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July 8, 2026

Many elite athletes live with health impacts long after they retire. Should they carry all the costs?

Hoani Smith, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Dion Enari, UNITEC Institute of Technology, and Phil Borell, University of Canterbury

Retired male elite rugby players have higher rates of osteoarthritis, mild cognitive disorders, depression and hazardous alcohol use than non-contact sport players.

Sophie Devine playing for the Perth Scorchers in a Women’s Big Bash League match in Melbourne, November 2025. Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

March 17, 2026

Sophie Devine’s record cricket contract can’t disguise a stubborn pay gap in NZ women’s sport

Hoani Smith, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Erin Roxburgh, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Stacey Niao, University of Canterbury

For most elite women athletes, professional sport still doesn’t pay enough to make a living. But strategic investment will grow their visibility and earning power.

The Indigenous All Stars ahead of their match with the New Zealand Māori side in Sydney, February 15 2025. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

February 12, 2026

League of their own: the NRL Indigenous All Stars vs Māori match is much more than a novelty

Hoani Smith, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Dion Enari, UNITEC Institute of Technology, and Phil Borell, University of Canterbury

Sunday’s season-opener in Hamilton goes well beyond tokenism to showcase the extraordinary contribution of Indigenous athletes and fans to trans-Tasman rugby league.

Hannah Peters/Getty Images

January 15, 2026

After Scott Robertson, the All Blacks face a deeper question than who coaches next

Hoani Smith, Lincoln University, New Zealand and Dion Enari, UNITEC Institute of Technology

For the All Blacks, the next coaching era may hinge less on tactics than on trust, culture and leadership style.

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