DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. TONIGHT, A VERY CLOSE CALL FOR A SCHOOL FIELD TRIP ` WE'RE LIVE TO TONGARIRO FOR THE LATEST ON TODAY'S ERUPTION. THE DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE MOUNTS ON THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT THERE'S NO END IN SIGHT TO THE BOMBING AND THE ROCKETS. AND A PRETTY GIRL AND A HAPLESS STALKER COMBINE FOR A K COMEDY ` WE REVIEW 'HOW TO MEET GIRLS FROM A DISTANCE'. TRAMPERS AND KIDS ON SCHOOL TRIPS HAD A LUCKY ESCAPE WHEN MT TONGARIRO ERUPTED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN JUST OVER THREE MONTHS THIS AFTERNOON. IT HAPPENED IN THE SAME PLACE AS IN AUGUST ` THE UPPER TE MAARI CRATER ` AROUND HALF PAST 1, LASTING NO MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES. BUT AS BEFORE, IT SENT A CLOUD OF ASH BILLOWING INTO THE SKY AND SENT PEOPLE ON THE POPULAR TONGARIRO CROSSING FLEEING IN TERROR. ONE NEWS REPORTER PAUL HOBBS JOINS US NOW, LIVE FROM THE CHATEAU TONGARIRO, WITH THE LATEST. HELLO, GREG. A FEW HOURS AGO THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF THE ERUPTION. DOC SAYS THERE'S STILL A PLUME IN THE AIR TO 2KM. KIDS SCREAMING A CLASS FIELD TRIP FROM NAPIER'S TAMATEA INTERMEDIATE CAPTURING THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENED. GIRL SCREAMS WE WERE SITTING, LOOKING AT THE TAMARI VENTS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE OF THE KIDS SAID 'LOOK', AND WE TURNED AROUND, AND THERE IT WAS, JUST ERUPTING IN FRONT OF US. THE ONLY INJURIES SOME FRAYED NERVES. ALL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS MADE IT SAFELY OFF THE MOUNTAIN, MUCH TO THE RELIEF OF THEIR PRINCIPAL. EXCELLENT NEWS, PAUL. I'M REALLY THRILLED. HAVE AN ENJOYABLE SOAK IN THE TOKAANU HOT POOLS, MATE. LIKE IT OR NOT, THESE STUDENTS GOT AN EXCLUSIVE LESSON ON VULCANOLOGY. VERY EXCITING DAY; HAVE TO SAY, NOT QUITE THE DAY THEY PLANNED. THEY'RE DOING A STUDY OF VOLCANOES ` THEY GOT A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NATURE GOES THROUGH UNANNOUNCED. ALSO ON TONGARIRO, A DOCUMENTARY CREW WERE JUST 700M AWAY WHEN THE MOUNTAIN ROARED. FOR THE FIRST 30 SECONDS, I WAS, LIKE, 'THIS IS AWESOME. THIS IS AMAZING. 'WHAT INCREDIBLE FOOTAGE WE'RE CAPTURING!' AND THEN FOR NEXT 30 SECONDS, THE NEXT HALF HOUR, I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED; I WAS A BIT WORRIED. RELIVING THE MOMENT ` A GROUP OF FOREIGN TRAMPERS, WHO CAME TO NZ EXPECTING SOMETHING SPECIAL, BUT COULD NEVER IMAGINED GETTING FRONT-ROW SEATS TO NATURE'S SPECTACULAR THEATRE. IT WAS SO UNBELIEVEABLE. I WAS, LIKE, THERE WAS NO TIME TO BE SCARED. IT WAS JUST, LIKE, I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. IT'S, LIKE, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME THING, OBVIOUSLY. I'M NOT GOING TO SEE THAT AGAIN. IT WAS PRETTY COOL. IT'S THREE MONTHS SINCE TONGARIRO'S LAST ERUPTION, ALSO AT THE TE MAARI CRATERS, WHICH BLEW TODAY. UNTIL THEN, THEY'D BEEN DORMANT SINCE 1897. GEONET SCIENTISTS SAY THESE ERUPTIONS COULD BE LINKED TO RECENT ACTIVITY ON MT RUAPEHU. WE WERE NOT EXPECTING THIS. EVERYTHING WAS GOING DOWN, AND THE STUFF AT RUAPEHU ` THERE'S NO LINK, BUT MAYBE THERE IS. MAYBE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT WELL ENOUGH. FOR THE MANY STUDENTS AND TRAMPERS WHO ALL MADE IT SAFELY OFF THE MOUNTAIN, IT WAS THE ULTIMATE DISPLAY OF MOTHER NATURE'S POWER. A LOT OF PEOPLE UP THERE TODAY, AND THEY SEEMED TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. PAUL, WHEN DO YOU EXPECT TOURISTS WILL BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE MOUNTAIN? THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE PATIENT. THE CROSSING WILL BE CLOSED FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE DAYS. IT'S A WAIT-AND-SEE SITUATION. THANKS, PAUL. AND ONE NEWS WILL HAVE MORE LIVE FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOMORROW MORNING ON BREAKFAST FROM 6 O'CLOCK. THE HUGE ASH PLUME FROM THE ERUPTION'S FORCED THE CANCELLATION OF SOME FLIGHTS, AND A 13KM EXCLUSION ZONE REMAINS AROUND THE CLOUD. IT'S REACHED AN ESTIMATED HEIGHT OF 2000M OR JUST OVER 6000FT. BIG JETS NORMALLY CRUISE AT 20,000FT TO 35,000FT, IT'S REACHED AN ESTIMATED HEIGHT OF 2000M OR JUST OVER 6000FT. BIG JETS NORMALLY CRUISE AT 20,000FT TO 35,000FT, SO THE PLUME'S UNLIKELY TO BOTHER THEM. BUT MOST SMALLER PLANES FLY BELOW 18,000FT, WHERE THE CLOUD'S MORE OF A THREAT, ESPECIALLY IF IT GOES HIGHER, WITH THE RISK OF ASH DAMAGE TO ENGINES. TIMARU PARENTS HAVE REACTED WITH RELIEF TO NEWS THAT A MAN'S BEEN ARRESTED AND APPEARED IN COURT CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING A 9-YEAR-OLD. POLICE SAY THE MAN WAS KNOWN TO THE BOY, WHO WAS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL TODAY. THIS FROM ALI PUGH. PARENTS COLLECTING THEIR CHILDREN AT THE OCEANVIEW HEIGHTS SCHOOL GATE THIS AFTERNOON. SEE YOU TOMORROW, EVERYONE. LAST NIGHT'S ARREST FOR THE SUSPECTED ABDUCTION OF A YOUNG BOY FROM HERE WAS WELCOME NEWS. IT'S GREAT. IT IS. IT'S A GOOD RELIEF, YEAH ` KNOWING THAT HE'S GONE AND THE KIDS WILL HOPEFULLY BE SAFE. I THINK IT LEFT EVERYONE FEELING PRETTY UNSETTLED AND, NATURALLY ENOUGH, A LITTLE BIT WORRIED A 26-YEAR-OLD TIMARU MAN APPEARED IN COURT, CHARGED WITH WOUNDING WITH INTENT TO CAUSE GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM. HIS ALLEGED VICTIM ` JUST 9-YEARS-OLD ` WAS FOUND BATTERED AND DISTRESSED BESIDE THIS RURAL BRIDGE, 20 MINUTES OUT OF TOWN. IN COURT TODAY THE JUDGE HEARD FROM THE MEDIA THAT THE NAME OF THE ALLEGED OFFENDER SHOULD BE RELEASED IN ORDER TO STOP SPECULATION IN THE TOWN AS TO WHO IT MAY BE. THE JUDGE RULED, THOUGH, THAT ALL DETAILS RELATING TO THE CASE WILL BE SUPPRESSED. WHILE THAT INCLUDES DETAILS OF THE MAN'S OCCUPATION AND WHERE HE LIVED, POLICE HAVE SAID THE BOY KNEW HIS ALLEGED ATTACKER. FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SAY THIS ISN'T A STRANGER ABDUCTING SOME RANDOM CHILD OFF THE STREET. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT THE INCIDENT'S LEFT PARENTS ON EDGE. NORMALLY THEY'D WALK TO SCHOOL EVERY MORNING, YEP, AND WALK HOME. BUT NOW WE'VE CERTAINLY CHANGED THAT, AND WE PICK THEM UP AND DROP THEM OFF. POLICE SAY THE 26-YEAR-OLD MAY FACE MORE CHARGES. HE'S BEEN REMANDED IN CUSTODY AND WILL REAPPEAR IN COURT NEXT MONTH. ALI PUGH, ONE NEWS. INTERNET TYCOON KIM DOTCOM'S TRYING TO GET MORE OF HIS FROZEN FINANCES RELEASED SO STAFF CAN GET THEIR WAGES. HIS WIFE'S LAWYER TOLD THE HIGH COURT IN AUCKLAND FUNDS USED TO PAY SECURITY GUARDS, NANNIES, A PERSONAL ASSISTANT AND BUTLER HAVE DRIED UP. THEY'RE ASKING FOR ACCESS TO $20,300 A MONTH TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE STAFF ON TOP OF $20,000 A MONTH FOR LIVING EXPENSES. THE JUDGE WANTS A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MONEY ALREADY GRANTED TO THE DOTCOMS HAS BEEN SPENT BEFORE SHE MAKES A DECISION. AND KIM DOTCOM MAY WELL HAVE BEEN ON THE AGENDA WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER MET U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AT THE EAST ASIA SUMMIT IN CAMBODIA. I HAD QUITE A LONG CHAT TO HIM, YUP, ABOUT A RANGE OF ISSUES. I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH WHAT THOSE MIGHT BE. MR KEY SAID PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP ` THE TRADE DEAL NZ, THE U.S., AND FIVE OTHER COUNTRIES AIM TO HAVE AGREED BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR. DAVID SHEARER'S NAMED DAVID PARKER AS HIS NEW INTERIM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPOKESMAN AS HE TRIES TO MOVE ON FROM HIS LEADERSHIP BATTLE. BUT THREATS OF ACTION FROM DEMOTED MP DAVID CUNLIFFE'S SUPPORTERS AREN'T MAKING IT EASY FOR HIM. POLTICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN REPORTS. AFTER TRYING TO GET HIS OWN HOUSE IN ORDER, DAVID SHEARER VISITED AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IN WELLINGTON TODAY. LEADERSHIP QUESTIONS, THOUGH, STILL DOG HIM. I'M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE AND TALK ABOUT STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. I'M TELLING YOU THAT I AM THE LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY. MR SHEARER'S NOT APOLOGISING FOR BANNING HIS MPS FROM SPEAKING OUT ON THE ISSUE. RIGHT AT THE MOMENT, OVER THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, THERE WILL ONLY BE ME SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF WHAT'S JUST HAPPENED. IT'S ALL VERY WELL MUZZLING MPS, BUT MUCH OF THIS LEADERSHIP SPAT HAS BEEN PLAYED OUT ONLINE, WITH A VOCAL GROUP OF ACTIVISTS CRITICISING AND UNDERMINING THE LEADERSHIP. GETTING THEM ON-BOARD MAY PROVE A TOUGH ASK. AND DAVID CUNLIFFE ADDED TO THE CHALLENGE WITH A FACEBOOK POST LAST NIGHT THAT SHOWS PLENTY OF SUPPORTERS. THERE IS A BIT OF WATER TO GO UNDER BRIDGE. WHAT I NOTICED AT THE CONFERENCE IS THAT TEMPERS WERE FAIRLY FRAYED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DIVIDE, AND I THINK THEY PROBABLY NEED A BIT OF A SUMMER HOLIDAY TO SETTLE DOWN. OUT IN DAVID CUNLIFFE'S NEW LYNN ELECTORATE, THERE'S SYMPATHY FOR THEIR MP. I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM. I THINK HE'S HAD A RAW DEAL. IN MY EXPERIENCE, HE'S BEEN A GOOD MP. < DO YOU THINK HE WAS TREATED UNFAIRLY AT ALL? YES, I DO. I DO. HIS ELECTORATE COMMITTEE'S WARNING THAT A FORMAL COMPLAINT'S ON THE CARDS OVER COMMENTS OTHER LABOUR MPS HAVE MADE ABOUT HIM. THEY ARE FREE TO DO THAT, OBVIOUSLY. FREE TO DO IT, BUT LIKELY TO CAUSE COSTLY DAMAGE TO THE PARTY'S ALREADY-DAMAGED IMAGE. CORIN DANN, ONE NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` DESTRUCTION AND DESPAIR AS ATTEMPTS TO BROKER PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST COME UP SHORT. AND JUST WHAT THE HOBBIT-MAKERS DIDN'T WANT WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE JUST DAYS AWAY ` A LAWSUIT IS LAUNCHED. 1 AN END TO THE BLOODSHED IN THE MIDDLE EAST COULD BE DAYS AWAY AFTER AN EGYPTIAN-BROKERED TRUCE FAILED TO TAKE. U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON FLEW IN FOR MIDNIGHT TALKS WITH THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. CHANNEL NINE'S PETER STEFANOVIC REPORTS ON THE CHAOS IN GAZA CITY. SIRENS, SHOUTING STRUCK BY AN ISRAELI MISSILE, THE TWO CAMERAMEN IN THIS CAR STOOD NO CHANCE. THE WORST DAY OF VIOLENCE SO FAR, ON BOTH SIDES; AN ISRAELI SOLDIER ALSO KILLED BY A HAMAS ROCKET. WE JOINED PARAMEDICS ON A RESCUE MISSION IN A RACE TO THE EASTERN BORDER, OVER BUMPY, DUSTY ROADS. A DRONE STRIKE HAD SMASHED ITS TARGET AND PEOPLE WERE HIT. WE'RE HERE. WE'RE HERE. PARAMEDICS SCRAMBLED TO THE BOMB SITE AND PICKED UP THE INJURED ON STRETCHERS, SO WITHIN TWO MINUTES THEY WERE BACK IN THE AMBULANCE. SHOUTING THIS YOUNG MAN HAD SHRAPNEL WOUNDS TO THE HEAD. UNCONSCIOUS, HIS LIFE WAS SLIPPING. WHAT'S MAKING THIS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE PARAMEDICS IS THE SPEED WITH WHICH THE AMBULANCE IS DRIVING. OBVIOUSLY, THEY WANT TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL AS FAST AS THEY CAN. THEY KEEP GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS AND POTHOLES, AND EVERYTHING KEEPS GETTING THROWN AROUND. IT'S HARD FOR THESE GUYS TO WORK. IN 10 MINUTES WE WERE AT THE HOSPITAL, THE MAN WHEELED INTO A FULL EMERGENCY ROOM. HE SURVIVED. MANY WEREN'T SO LUCKY. THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HAS FLOWN IN TO HELP BROKER A PEACE DEAL. AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL'S SECURITY IS ROCK-SOLID AND UNWAVERING. BUT WHILE THE TALKING GOES ON, IT'S THE CIVILIANS ` ON BOTH SIDES ` WHO ARE PAYING THE PRICE. THE FORMER HEAD OF RUPERT MURDOCH'S BRITISH NEWSPAPER EMPIRE AND PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON'S EX-MEDIA CHIEF HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH BRIBING PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOR STORIES. AMONG OTHER CHARGES, ANDY COULSON'S ACCUSED OF PAYING PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOR ACCESS TO THE PRIVATE PHONE NUMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. FORMER NEWS OF THE WORLD EDITOR REBEKAH BROOKS IS ALSO ACCUSED OF PAYING ALMOST $200,000 TO A MINISTRY OF DEFENCE EMPLOYEE FOR STORIES. A VOTE IN FAVOUR OF TRADITION HAS LEFT THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN TURMOIL IN BRITAIN. THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND'S GENERAL SYNOD HAS DECIDED NOT TO ALLOW WOMEN BISHOPS. CAMPAIGNERS SAY IT'S A DEVASTATING BLOW. IT IS RIDICULOUS IN TODAY'S SOCIETY TO HAVE A BOYS' CLUB OF MEN WHO MAKES DECISION ON BEHALF OF THE CHURCH. THERE ARE MANY ANGLICAN WOMEN BISHOPS OUTSIDE BRITAIN, INCLUDING IN NZ. THERE'S A NEW HEADACHE FOR THE PRODUCERS OF 'THE HOBBIT', AS THE TOLKIEN ESTATE FILES A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE FILMMAKERS FOR DAMAGING THE BRAND. HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHING AND TOLKIEN'S FAMILY ARE SUING WARNER BROTHERS AND NEW LINE CINEMA FOR $98M. JOANNA HUNKIN HAS THE DETAILS. I CAN'T JUST GO RUNNING OFF INTO THE BLUE. THEY'RE SOME OF THE MOST BELOVED CHARACTERS OF THE LITERARY WORLD, BUT TOLKIEN FANS WERE LEFT FUMING AT THE SIGHT OF FRODO AND FRIENDS ENDORSING ONLINE GAMBLING. IN A LAWSUIT FILED WITH THE LOS ANGELES DISTRICT COURT, THE TOLKIEN ESTATE SAYS THE SITES HAVE CAUSED IRREPARABLE HARM TO THE AUTHOR'S LEGACY. THEY CITE FANS' CONFUSION AND CONSTERNATION AT SEEING 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' LINKED TO THE MORALLY QUESTIONABLE WORLD OF ONLINE AND CASINO GAMBLING. IT MAY NOT HOLD A LOT OF SWAY WITH THE JUDGE. WHAT THE JUDGE IS REALLY GONNA LOOK AT IS HOW THE CONTRACTS WERE WORDED, HOW THEY WERE NEGOTIATED, WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE ANTICIPATED. BUT IT'S NOT JUST GAMBLING THAT'S UPSET THE FAMILY. IN THE LAWSUIT, THEIR LAWYERS ARGUE ANYTHING BEYOND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY IS IN BREACH OF COPYRIGHT. SO WHILE BATTLE AXES AND ACTION FIGURES ARE OK, VIDEO GAMES AND RINGTONES ARE NOT. IT COULD ALSO EXTEND TO AIR NZ'S BIG HOBBIT PROMOTION, INCLUDING THIS SAFETY VIDEO AND A SPECIALLY WRAPPED AIRCRAFT SET TO BE UNVEILED THIS WEEKEND. THE JUDGE'S ORDER CONCEIVABLY WOULD ALLOW THE TOLKIEN ESTATE TO SAY 'YOU CAN NO LONGER DO THIS.' NOW, IF AIR NZ HAD TO TAKE DOWN THESE PROMOTIONS, THEN WANTED TO SUE WARNER BROTHERS, THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT PROGRESSION. IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THE FAMILY'S TAKEN ON HOLLYWOOD. THREE YEARS AGO, IT SUED NEW LINE CINEMA OVER ROYALTIES FROM THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, LEADING TO A CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT. WARNER BROTHERS WOULDN'T COMMENT ON THE CASE TODAY, BUT HOLLYWOOD INSIDERS SAY THEY HAVE A LONG AND EXPENSIVE FIGHT AHEAD. JOANNA HUNKIN, ONE NEWS AUCKLANDERS HAVE HAD A SNEAK PEAK AT THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE AWARD-WINNING THEATRICAL PRODUCTION WAR HORSE. THE SHOW COMES TO NZ NEXT YEAR AND TELLS THE STORY OF JOEY, THE BELOVED HORSE OF A BOY CALLED ALBERT, WHO IS SOLD TO THE CAVALRY AT THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR I. I THINK THE KEY THING FOR US IS ACTUALLY MAKING IT THINK LIKE A HORSE. WE CAN MAKE IT MOVE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT, BUT, OF COURSE, AS AN AUDIENCE, YOU MIGHT GO, 'OH, IT'S JUST A BIG PUPPET.' SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING OUT ON HORSE PSYCHOLOGY. THE SHOW FOLLOWS THE RELEASE OF STEVEN SPIELBERG'S 'WAR HORSE' MOVIE, WHICH CAME OUT LAST YEAR AND WAS NOMINATED FOR SIX ACADEMY AWARDS. TICKETS FOR THE AUGUST 2013 SHOW GO ON SALE ON FRIDAY. STILL TO COME ` MY TAKE ON A K COMEDY THAT REALLY WORKS. PLUS ` THE SHOULDER CHARGE TAKES A HIT. THE DOCTORS ARE HAPPY; THE PLAYERS SAY WE SHOULD HARDEN UP. TO SPORT ` SHANE CAMERON'S ABOUT TO BEGIN HIS CAREER-DEFINING TILT TONIGHT AT A WORLD TITLE IN MELBOURNE. THEY'RE STILL WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE UNDERCARD AT THE HISENSE ARENA, BUT CAMERON 'THE MOUNTAIN WARRIOR' WILL SHORTLY TAKE TO THE RING TO MEET VETERAN AUSTRALIAN DANNY GREEN, FIGHTING FOR THE I.B.O. WORLD CRUISERWEIGHT BELT. A LEADING SPORTS DOCTOR BELIEVES BANNING THE SHOULDER CHARGE FROM NRL RUGBY LEAGUE IS A VICTORY FOR COMMON SENSE. BUT NOT EVERYONE'S HAPPY ` NSW CAPTAIN PAUL GALLEN SAYS IT TAKES SOME OF THE TOUGHNESS OUT OF THE GAME. HERE'S CRAIG STANAWAY. SEVEN YEARS WITH THE WARRIORS; A FURTHER 15 WITH THE ALL BLACKS. JOHN MAYHEW IS ONE OF THE 16 DOCTORS WHO UNANIMOUSLY ADVISED THE NRL TO OUTLAW THE SHOULDER CHARGE. 25% OF SHOULDER CHARGES END IN AN INJURY. IT'S THE MOST RISKY FORM OF TACKLE. HEAD INJURIES; SHOULDER INJURIES. SHOULDER CHARGES ARE A PRETTY SPECTACULAR PART OF THE GAME, SO I GUESS I'M SAD TO SEE IT GO, IN THAT RESPECT, BUT THE GAME'S GOT A DUTY OF CARE. THE NRL SAYS THERE WERE MORE THAN 142,000 TACKLES THIS YEAR; LESS THAN 0.25% WERE SHOULDER CHARGES. IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN BANNED IN NZ SINCE 2006. ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS AN INDIVIDUAL TO GET SERIOUSLY INJURED FOR LIFE, AND THEN THE WHOLE DYNAMIC WOULD CHANGE. I THINK HAVING 16 DOCTORS SAYING 'THIS HAS TO CHANGE' WAS PRETTY COMPELLING. REACTION ACROSS THE TASMAN HAS BEEN MIXED, WITH PHIL GOULD SOUNDING CONFUSED. JAMES MALONEY'S DESCRIBED IT AS... THEN THERE'S THE COMEDIC ISSAC LUKE. REALLY, IT'S A LOW-PERCENTAGE PLAY. EVERYONE WILL HAVE THEIR INDIVIDUAL OPINION, AND I ENCOURAGE THEM TO HAVE THAT. BUT THE TRUTH IS IT'S OUTLAWED NOW. THE SHOULDER CHARGE WILL BE OFFICIALLY OUTLAWED NEXT MONTH. CRAIG STANAWAY, ONE NEWS. THE WELSH HAVE RESURRECTED THEIR GRAND SLAM-WINNING BACKLINE FOR THEIR TEST MATCH AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS THIS WEEKEND. THERE'S ADDED PRESSURE ON WALES TO PERFORM AFTER THEIR RECENT LOSS TO SAMOA, WITH COACH WARREN GATLAND HOPING TO BOOST THE SIDE'S MORALE BEFORE SUNDAY'S MATCH. YEAH, WE'VE HAD A FEW INJURIES, AND PROBABLY IT'S OUR NUMBER ONE BACKLINE FROM THE PAST 12 MONTHS. COUPLE OF PLAYERS STILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN CONFIDENCE, BUT THE BOYS WERE GOOD YESTERDAY, TRAINED WELL THIS MORNING, SO HOPEFULLY THE PREPARATION FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK WILL GO WELL. ALL BLACKS NUMBER EIGHT KIERAN READ SAYS THE WELSH WILL BE TOUGH AT HOME, AND IT USUALLY TAKES THE WHOLE GAME TO GET ON TOP OF THEM. OVER HERE IT'S GENERALLY TAKEN THE WHOLE 80 MINUTES. I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER HAD AN EASY GAME SINCE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED. THEY'RE GENERALLY BLOODY TOUGH AND REALLY COME AT AS PHYSICALLY, SO IT'S ALWAYS A REALLY TOUGH GAME FOR US. THE GAME KICKS OFF AT 6.15AM ON SUNDAY NZ TIME. RENEE'S HERE WITH WEATHER NOW. HI, EVERYONE. THIS PESKY FRONT CONTINUES TO HANG AROUND NEAR NORTHLAND TOMORROW, KEEPING A FEW SHOWERS GOING THERE. BUT THE HIGH IS DEFINITELY IN CHARGE EVERYWHERE ELSE, SO MORE FINE WEATHER WITH LIGHT WINDS. THE COLD FRONT SHOULD REACH FIORDLAND TOMORROW EVENING. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND THAT'S YOUR WEATHER. I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. STALKING A GIRL YOU FANCY ISN'T FUNNY, AND, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, ISN'T LEGAL. SO IT'S A BRAVE PLACE TO START A NZ COMEDY. BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT 'HOW TO MEET GIRLS FROM A DISTANCE' DOES. SO WITH A SENSE OF TREPIDATION ` THANKS TO THE PATCHY RECORD OF NZ COMEDIES ` I WENT ALONG TO SEE IT FOR TONIGHT AT THE MOVIES. 'HOW TO MEET GIRLS FROM A DISTANCE' ALMOST GIVES ITSELF AWAY IN THE TITLE AND THE OPENING MINUTES. THE MAIN CHARACTER, TOBY, IS RUBBISH AT MEETING GIRLS, SO SEES SELF-STYLED LOVE GURU/ SHRINK, CARL, FOR SOME HELP. CARL PROVIDES SOME LAUGHS EARLY ON BY BARING IT ALL. I'VE HELPED DOZENS OF PEOPLE IN YOUR SITUATION WITH MY VERY SIMPLE PHILOSOPHY ` HIGH CONFIDENCE, LOW STANDARDS. NOW AT THIS EALRY STAGE, 'HOW TO MEET GIRLS FROM A DISTANCE, OR HTMGFAD FOR THOSE IN THE KNOW, FEELS LIKE IT'LL BE ANOTHER OK-BUT-NOT-GREAT NZ COMEDY. ARE YOU DOING IT? YES. GREAT. OK. WE'RE ON A DATE. BUT THIS REALLY IS A FILM WITH A BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND AN END IN THE VERY BEST AND FUNNIEST SENSE. THINK OF IT LIKE A DARTBOARD. YOU CAN THROW ONLY ONE DART ` BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU MUCH CHANCE OF HITTING THE BULLS-EYE. WHAT IF YOU COULD THROW A LOT OF DARTS? YOU'VE GOT A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF HITTING THE RIGHT WOMAN RIGHT WHERE IT MATTERS ` IN THE HEART. FROM THERE, OUR LUCKLESS HERO BRIEFLY MEETS, AND FALLS HARD, FOR THE LOVELY PHOEBE. BUT INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY TALKING TO HER, HE DECIDES STALKING HER IS A MUCH BETTER IDEA. THIS IS THE PART OF THE MOVIE WHERE TOBY GETS WEIRD, BUT GETS THE GIRL ` FOR A WHILE AT LEAST. SO BY NOW, WE'VE HAD THE OK COMEDY START, THE MIDDLE PART WHERE YOU'RE LEFT WONDERING HOW AND WHY YOU'RE GONNA CARE ABOUT A CENTRAL CHARACTER WHO, WHICHEVER WAY YOU CUT IT, IS A CREEPY STALKER, THEN COMES THE PAYOFF ` AND IN THE LAST 20 OR SO MINUTES, 'HOW TO MEET GIRLS FROM A DISTANCE' REVEALS ITSELF AS ONE OF THE BEST NZ COMEDIES TO COME ALONG IN A VERY LONG TIME. BUT IT'S DURING THE FINAL ACT, IN WHICH THE WHOLE THING IS TIED UP BRILLIANTLY AND HILARIOUSLY, AND THE OFTEN-NAKED CARL THE SHRINK PROVIDES SOME CLUES TO A TWIST THAT YOU NEED TO BE A MIND-READER TO SPOT. BUT DON'T WORRY. CARL, BEING CARL, OUTLINES IT ALL FOR YOU ANYWAY. PHOEBE'S JILTED BOYFRIEND, TOBY'S LESBIAN FRIENDS, AND RECEPTIONIST WHO TIMES TOILET STOPS... THAT MAN WAS IN THE TOILET FOR SIX MINUTES. THAT MAKES IT A POO. ...ALL ADD UP TO MAKE 'HOW TO MEET GIRLS FROM A DISTANCE' A COMEDY WHICH COULD HOLD ITS HEAD HIGH AMIDST ANYTHING FROM ACROSS THE TASMAN OR THE U.S. IT GETS 9/10 FROM ME. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. BREAKFAST IS BACK WITH THE LATEST LIVE FROM MT TONGARIRO FROM 6 TOMORROW MORNING. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND SAM BRADFORD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2012