Sport in New Zealand Sport in New Zealand Sport in New Zealand largely reflects its British colonial heritage, with some of the most popular sports being rugby union, rugby league, cricket, football (soccer), basketball and netball which are primarily played in Commonwealth countries. New Zealand is a small nation but has enjoyed success in many sports, notably rugby union (considered the national sport), rugby league, cricket (considered the national summer sport), America's Cup sailing, world championship and Olympics events and motorsport and softball. Other popular sports include squash, golf, hockey, tennis, cycling, rowing, and a variety of water sports, particularly sailing and surf sports.
Sport in Paraguay extent Uruguay (both of which have qualified for the Rugby World Cup), but the sport can be found in almost all nations in South America, including Paraguay. This is partly due to massive immigration from Europe, notably the British Isles, France, and Italy. It is difficult to single out one of these nations as being primarily responsible for the birth of Paraguayan rugby, as illustrated by Asuncion Rugby Club, which was formed by two Britons, two Argentines, a Dutchman, and a New Zealander. The first Paraguayan rugby player of note was Nelson Ayala, who played with the English club Saracens