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RNZ News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Flying Fijians and Manu Samoa rugby squads revealed
The Flying Fijians putting in some defense work against Manu Samoa at Apia Park on Saturday. 29 July 2023. Photo: Piui Simi / Samoa Observer Player omissions were noticed when the Flying Fijians and Manu Samoa head coaches announced their respective squads for upcoming international commitments. Flying Fijians new manager Paula Biu, himself a former national rep, announced a 32-member squad in Suva on Wednesday afternoon, minus veteran centre Semi Radradra, number eight Peceli Yato, Fijian Drua fullback Vuate Karawalevu and former All Black, Pita Gus Sowakula. Head coach Mick Byrne, fielding questions from the media after the announcement, said some players were unavailable because of club changes and movements. Radradra is moving to Japan but both Yato and Sowakula are in France, their absence raised by the media at the team announcement. Manu Samoa's anouncement on Tuesday also had the same effect with fans and the media asking where are some of the consistent performers with Moana Pasifika during the Super Rugby Pacific competition. Names mentioned included flanker Miracle Failangi, who was joint top try-scorer with Kyren Taumoefolau for Moana Pasifika this year. Also missing is livewire hooker Sama Malolo and halfback Jonathan Taumeiteine. Moana Pasifika quartet Failagi, Taumateine, Danny Toala and Lalomilo Lalomilo are busy with the National Provincial Championship in New Zealand. Hurricanes scrumhalf Ereatara Enari is also committed to NPC. Manu Samoa head coach, Lemalu Tusi Pisi, said the selection has been a mix of young and experienced players, who will rise to the occasion when needed to. A big addition to the Flying Fijians squad is that of former Hurricanes utility backline player Salesi Rayasi. Rayasi, who now plays out of France, is set to make his debut for the Fijians against either the Wallabies or Scotland in July. The Flying Fijians face the Wallabies in Sydney on 6 July and Scotland in Suva the weekend after, in their opening matches of the 2025 Test series. The Fijians will then defend their Pacific Nations Cup title from August, with matches against Tonga and Samoa, before the elimination series against Canada, USA and Japan. Flying Fijian head coach Mick Byrne. Photo: ©INPHO/Ben Brady Byrne said it is exciting time for the team, with new players added and others missing out. He thanked all the players who had stated their willingness to play for Fiji. He said some quality players have missed the final 32 announced. The initial squad had over 80 players. "We are very excited by the squad that we've named," he said. "Both Australia and Scotland are established tier one sides, and we know the level we need to rise to. This squad reflects the depth, strength; and we will give a performance that will make all Fijians proud. "We've got some very good experienced hands in there with a couple of young players that we've given the opportunity to." Byrne said the Flying Fijians now face the tough challenge of having to step up and play consistently as a tier one nation, with the team's inclusion in the Nations Cup competition from 2026. "We are excited by the future of the game for our Flying Fijians," he stated. "Over the past year we have been gven the oppoprtunity to play one or two tier one teams. As of next year we are in the Nations Cup," he said. "We are now part of the Nations Cup, which is a combination of both the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship competitions. We now need to step up as an organisation and as a group of players. "We need to adress the fact that we are now tier one and everything we are doing as an organisation and as a group must reflect that, and we are looking forward to the next window of opportunity to present Fiji to the world." Fijian Drua captain for 2025 Tevita Ikanivere will replaces former captain Waisea Nayacalevu, who announced his retirement from international rugby a week ago. New players named in the squad includes Drua halfback Philip Baselala, Hawkes Bay scrumhalf Sam Wye, Kavaia Tagivetaua and former Fiji under-20 captain Motikai Murray. A total of 13 players from the Fijian Drua, 10 players based in France, five based in England and one from New Zealand are in the Fiji squad. The Flying Fijians 32-member squad: Forwards: Eroni Mawi (Saracens - UK), Luke Tagi (Bayonne, FR), Haereiti Hetet (Fijian Drua), Mesake Doge (Fijian Drua), Peni Ravai (Fijian Drua), Tevita Ikanivere (Captain - Fijian Drua), Sam Matavesi (Lyon - FR), Kavaia Tagivetaua (Fijian Drua), Isoa Nasilasila (Fijian Drua), Mesake Vocevoce (Fijian Drua), Temo Mayanavanua (Northhampton-UK), Setareki Turagacoke (Stade Francais-FR), Viliame Mata (Bristol-UK), Elia Canakaivata (Fijian Drua), Lekima Tagitagivalu (Pau-FR), Albert Tuisue (Gloucester-UK), Etonia Waqa (Fijian Drua), Motikai Murray (Fijian Drua); Backs - Simione Kuruvoli (Fijian Drua), Philip Baselala (Fijian Drua), Sam Wye (Hawkes Bay-NZ), Caleb Muntz (Fijian Drua), Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (Fijian Drua), Vilimoni Botitu (Castres-FR), Josua Tuisova (Racing 92-FR), Iosefo Baleiwairiki Masi (Fijian Drua), Sireli Maqala (Bayonne-FR), Kalaveti Ravouvou (Bristol-UK), Ponipate Loganimasi (Fijian Drua), Jiuta Wainiqolo (Toulon-FR), Selestino Ravutaumada (Fijian Drua), Salesi Rayasi (Vannes-FR). Meanwhile, Manu Samoa have a number of players who play in the United States and compete - or have competed - in the Major Rugby League there. Former USA Eagles prop Titi Lamositele is recalled after missing out on World Cup selection, along with Houston hooker Pita Anae-Ah Sue, San Diego scrumhalf Connor Tupai, Utah duo Aki Seiuli and D'Angelo Leuila, Seattle pair Olajuwon Noa and Rodney Iona, and NOLA Gold star Jonah Mau'u. Former Colorado Raptors forwards Marco Fepulea'i, Michael Curry, and Sam Slade keep their places in the squad. Loose forward Niko Jones, who played for Old Glory in 2023, has been included in the Manu Samoa squad, like his father and former All Black star La'auli Savae Michael Jones did. Head coach Pisi said the fact that the Pacific Nations Cup doubles as a qualifier for the 2027 World Cup means they will have to be at their best. The Nations Cup will see Samoa meet Fiji and Tonga before getting into the eliminations against Canada, Japan and USA. Pisi said he is excited by the squad and the selection is a balanced one, with some unavailable because of injury. Samoa's now coach, Tusi Pisi in his playing days. Photo: AFP "I have chosen warriors who understand the weight of the jersey," Pisi stated during the squad announcement at the Lakapi Samoa head office in Apia. "Our selection blends experience with fresh talent-players, who rise to the challenge of representing our people. "With our first test against Scotland, we respect them, but we play for Samoa. And with the Pacific Nations Cup, it becomes our battlefield for World Cup qualification where every tackle, every scrum, and every point is a step towards Australia 2027." The international season will kick-off with a landmark test match against Scotland on Friday, 18 July. lakapi Samoa chief executive Seumanu Douglas Ngau Chun said Manu Samoa have a challenging season ahead. The side will play their home matches away from Apia, since Apia Park is closed for major repairs, with the test against Scotland in Auckland and the Nations Cup clash against Fiji in Rotorua . "Congratulations to head coach Lemalu Tusi Pisi and our selectors on naming our first Manu Samoa squad of the year," he said. "A special acknowledgment as well to all our new debutants, a proud moment not just for them, but for their families, villages, and communities who've stood behind them every step of the way. "It's a significant occasion for Lakapi Samoa as we prepare to face a proud tier one nation like Scotland at Eden Park. "This historic test, along with the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup, are key steps as we continue to build depth, strengthen connections, and reignite pride in the jersey heading into the next international cycle." Chun said the Scotland test provides a crucial platform for Pisi and his players, before heading into the Nations Cup series. Manu Samoa squad: Forwards - Titi Lamositele (Harlequins, UK), Aki Seiuli (Utah Warriors, MLR), Kaynan Siteine-Tua (Western Sydney Two Blues, AU), Pita Anae-Ah Sue (Houston SaberCats, MLR), Leif Schwencke (Linton Lions), Luteru Tolai (Biarritz, FR), Michael Ala'alatoa (Clermont Auvergne, FR), Bradley Amituanai (Waratahs, AU), Marco Fepulea'i (Colomiers, FR), Tietie Tuimauga (Montauban, FR), Michael Curry (Moana Pasifika), Ben Nee-Nee (Kamaishi Seawaves, JP), Sam Slade (Moana Pasifika), Malaesaili Elato (Apia Marist), Niko Jones (Waitemata, NZ), Iakopo Mapu (Northampton Saints, UK), Jonah Mau'u (NOLA Gold, MLR), Theo McFarland (captain., Saracens, UK), Olajuwon Noa (Seattle Seawolves, MLR), Taleni Seu (Toyota Shuttles, JP); Backs - Joel Lam (Canterbury, NZ), Melani Matavao (Moana Pasifika), Connor Tupai (San Diego Legion, MLR), Rodney Iona (Seattle Seawolves, MLR), D'Angelo Leuila (Utah Warriors, MLR), Jacob Umaga (Benetton Treviso, IT), Afa Moleli (Ardmore Marist, NZ), Melani Nanai (Capilano, CA), Duncan Paia'aua (Toulon, FR), Henry Taefu (Osaka Red Hurricanes, JP), Elisapeta Alofipo (Hunter Wildfires, AU), Tomaso Alosio (Ardmore Marist, NZ), Taunu'u Niulevaea (Samoa Sevens), Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong (Western Sydney Two Blues, AU), Tuna Tuitama (Moana Pasifika).
ABC News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
ABC Radio Australia's Pacific Break returns in 2025
ABC Radio Australia's Pacific Break, the Pacific's biggest music competition, is back for 2025. From Friday 27 June 2025, the search begins to discover the Pacific and Timor Leste's best original artist. The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to perform at WOMADelaide, Australia's biggest international music, arts and dance festival. This year, Pacific Break launches for the first time in Samoa with a free, star-studded concert at iconic Friendship Park in downtown Apia. On the line-up are Pacific music's biggest names including Pacific Break past winners Chris Rohoimae (2024, Solomon Islands), Ju Ben (2023, Fiji) and Danielle (2022, Papua New Guinea) and Samoan superstars, country music icon Mr Cowboy and soulful vocal queen Tofaga Meke. Pacific Break's 2025 judges have also been announced, with Australian-based Fijian artist and label head Joji Malani joining returning judges PNG-born Australian neo soul diva Ngaiire, WOMADelaide Associate Director Annette Tripodi, and ABC Radio Australia music presenters, Hau Lātūkefu ( In The Fale ) and Sose Fuamoli ( Sista Sounds and On The Record ). According to Malani, "Pacific Break has played an important role in showcasing talent from across the Pacific in a way no other competition has done before. There is a unique sophistication within our cultures—deeply rooted yet universally relatable—and Pacific Break provides a platform to share that with the world. I'm humbled to contribute, even in a small way, to this important movement.' Fuamoli said: 'It is exciting to see the return of Pacific Break for 2025! It is such a special platform for a diverse range of artists from throughout the region. In previous years we have seen how both winners and finalists have benefited from the radio, television and social support of the competition and I look forward to meeting this year's class of nominees and seeing who takes out the top honour for 2025.' Lātūkefu said: 'The talent pool in our neck of the woods is so deep. It always has been. We just need the opportunities for our musicians' talent to be seen and to be heard. That's why it's so important for something like Pacific Break to exist so the rest of our region and the world can hear the beauty that we hear. I'm super excited for this year to kick off!' Find out more about the Pacific music industry leaders who will be deciding Pacific Break's 2025 winner and what they are looking for here. PACIFIC BREAK 2025 – THE LAUNCH CONCERT Celebrate the return of Pacific Break with a free, all-ages launch concert at Friendship Park, Apia, Samoa on Friday 27 June. Come along from 5pm West Samoa Time (WST) with performances from 6pm to 9pm. Click here for more event details. PACIFIC BREAK – THE COMPETITION Competition entries open at 9am AEST on Friday 27 June 2025 and will be open until 11:59pm AEST on Monday 25 August 2025. For more information about Pacific Break visit For all media enquiries, contact: Annalise Ramponi, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, ABC International
ABC News
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Pacific Break 2025 will launch in Samoa — here's what you need to know
ABC Radio Australia's Pacific Break, the Pacific's biggest music competition, is back for 2025. On Friday, June 27 2025, the search begins to discover the Pacific and Timor Leste's best original artist. Pacific Break will launch for the first time in Samoa with a star-studded concert at iconic Friendship Park in Apia. Best of all, it's free. Here's what you need to know. When and where is the launch concert? This year's Pacific Break launch event will be taking place in downtown Samoa, at Friendship Park in Apia. Friday, June 27. Free entry from 5pm Friday, June 27. Free entry from 5pm Performances will run from 6 - 9pm Who is playing? This year's concert features a star-studded line-up of Pacific Break's biggest names, plus some of Samoa's biggest local acts. Mr. Cowboy (Samoa) Mr. Cowboy (Samoa) Tofaga Meke (Samoa) Tofaga Meke (Samoa) Chris Rohoimae (Solomon Islands, Pacific Break Winner 2024) Chris Rohoimae (Solomon Islands, Pacific Break Winner 2024) Ju Ben (Fiji, Pacific Break Winner 2023) Ju Ben (Fiji, Pacific Break Winner 2023) Danielle (PNG, Pacific Break Winner 2022) Plus more! The event will be hosted by Young Sefa, and Michael Chow and Jacob McQuire from ABC Radio Australia's Nesia Daily. Samoa's Sam Ah Chookoon, aka Mr Cowboy, will be performing at the Pacific Break 2025 launch concert. ( Supplied ) Do I need to purchase tickets? No, this event is family-friendly, all ages, and free. Will there be food and drinks available? Food stalls will be available at Friendship Park, selling food and non-alcoholic beverages. Adjacent to the concert, Apia's monthly Waterfront Night Market will also be taking place at the Samoa Cultural Village, with many delicious food and drink options for you and the family. Pacific Break is an alcohol and drug-free event. Ju Ben performs at the Pacific Break launch concert in Fiji last year. ( Supplied ) Want to know more about the 2025 Pacific Break competition? Once again, ABC Radio Australia is on the hunt for the next big Pacific artist! Pacific Break is ABC Radio Australia's yearly grassroots music competition that aims to uncover the best original and unsigned talent from across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. Entries for this year's competition will open Friday, June 27 and run until midnight, Monday, August 25. Submit your original track via WhatsApp, email and online and you could be the next winner, taking off on an all-expenses-paid trip to perform at WOMADelaide, Australia's biggest world music festival. Find out more by heading online to The winner will be announced on ABC Radio Australia's morning program Nesia Daily on Thursday, October 16 2025. Anything else I should know? Please note the Australian Broadcasting Corporation will be filming a television program during this event. By attending the event, you are giving permission to be filmed as part of the event, and as such, your image could be included in the on-air program as well as online.
RNZ News
29-05-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
A decade after Tropical Cyclone Evan, Samoan villages endure a silent struggle
By Sanjeshni Kumar, PINA Photo: RNZI More than a decade ago, Tropical Cyclone Evan, a Category 4 storm, roared through Samoa's capital, Apia, and its surrounding villages. It left behind more than just destruction. It redefined landscapes, disrupted lives, and reshaped the livelihoods of communities like Lelata and Magiagi. Today, its legacy endures - not in broken homes, but in the unpredictable power of the Vaisigano River. When the Vaisigano river burst its banks in December 2012, it swallowed farms, homes, and memories, creating a new channel that veered closer to homes and families in Magiagi and Lelata. It hasn't moved back since. Elina Va'a, an elderly resident of Magiagi village, still recalls the chaos that unfolded the day TC Evan hit. "The water destroyed all of our farming and our house," Va'a said, standing near the very site where her childhood home once stood. "We were five siblings living here with our parents. After the cyclone, we had to relocate immediately." Floodwaters submerged roads, and neighbours had to come to their rescue. That Christmas and New Year's, the family found temporary shelter in an LDS church nearby. "It felt like we were losing our own land, the place we belonged to," she said. They have since rebuilt, not just on higher ground but with stronger foundations. "Our new house is safe now. Even when it floods, the floodwaters don't reach us anymore. But the area where our old home stood, that still floods." For 29-year-old Asuelu Saifoloi of Lelata village, Cyclone Evan marked the start of an ongoing struggle with water and loss. "I was inside the house. When the river burst, it came up to my neck," he recalled. "We looked outside - everything was brown water." The devastation didn't end with the storm. "My cousins had a cocoa plantation that was their income. We planted root crops for food. But after 2012, we stopped. The land isn't safe." Now, even regular rainstorms bring anxiety. "Flooding happens almost twice a month," he said. "When it rains in the mountains, the river can rise without warning. We see grey clouds - and we know. The river might come." This year, during Mother's Day, the river rose again. "We had to cross it every day from Monday to Sunday that week," Saifoloi said. "Thankfully, we had high enough vehicles. But others - they had to walk barefoot through the current. That's what we experience constantly." At times, the only option is to wait it out. "We park on the riverbank and sleep in the car for five hours until the water drops," he said. "Our kids miss school. We miss work. Just to stay safe." Despite repeated promises, a long-term solution remains out of reach. Saifoloi believes the government needs to act and emphasised the need for proper infrastructure, especially at the river's origin point. "We're still waiting for the government to redirect the river or rebuild the wall - especially at the beginning. That's where the problem starts. Not just where it ends," he said. This isn't just about convenience - it's about survival. Medical emergencies are postponed. "When my mom got sick, the river was too high. We had to wait for the water to go down before we could take her to the hospital." The land where Lelata village sits is customary, passed down through generations, rooted in identity. "This is our inheritance," he said. "Our ancestors called us to live here. Leaving it behind isn't just relocation. It's losing who we are." But the land is shifting. The river has eaten away at the banks. What was once fertile soil is now a mix of sand and debris. "Crops can't grow on river sand. The soil's not what it used to be," he explained. "Why would we plant crops, only to see everything washed away again? "We've tried. But it's heartbreaking to see all your effort destroyed overnight." Instead, they focused on resilience. "So now, we just focus on making our homes strong, raising the foundations, cementing them. Because that's all we can afford. "But building a proper river wall? That costs millions. We don't have that kind of money." Today, only a fraction of the original families remain in Lelata. "From 160 people, now maybe 50 or 60 are left," Saifoloi said. "The others left because their kids kept missing school, and they couldn't keep crossing the river every day." Reaching out for help is difficult. "We go through the proper channels," he said. "We try not to overstep. But the truth is - we're still fighting a silent battle. We're protecting our families and hoping one day the promises will be kept." Even healthcare is dictated by the river's moods. "If someone gets sick and the river is too high, we wait. We wait until the water goes down - then take them to the hospital." Despite the hardships, there's no bitterness in Saifoloi's voice - only resolve. "I still believe this problem can be solved. We're not asking for luxury. We just want protection - walls to hold the river, a future that isn't underwater." In response to the risks posed by increasing climate-related disasters, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Vaisigano Catchment Project - "Integrated Flood Management to Enhance Climate Resilience of the Vaisigano River Catchment" - was developed by the Government of Samoa in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme in 2016. Launched in 2017, the project aims to protect communities living near the Vaisigano River from flooding, especially during heavy rains and cyclones. It focuses on preserving forest and river ecosystems to absorb excess water and reduce flood damage. It also supports local livelihoods - especially those of women and unemployed youth - by creating paid opportunities to plant trees, rehabilitate degraded areas, and manage nurseries. In doing so, it strengthens both environmental resilience and social well-being. The total cost of the project is US$65.7 million, with US$57.7 million funded by the Green Climate Fund and US$8 million provided by the Government of Samoa as co-financing, according to official project documents. For now, families in Lelata and Magiagi continue to live with their inheritance, not just the land, but the risks that come with it. "If our children want to leave, that's their choice. But for us, this is home - and we'll keep hoping, keep waiting, because this land is our story," Saifoloi said. This article was first published by PINA .
RNZ News
28-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Samoa parliament to be dissolved in June, election date to come
The Samoa Electoral Commission show votes being tallied during the general election in the capital city of Apia Photo: AFP or licensors Its official. Samoa's parliament will be dissolved next week and the country will have an early return to the polls. The confirmation comes after a dramatic day in Parliament on Monday, which saw the government's budget voted down at its first reading. In a live address today, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa confirmed the dissolution of Parliament. "Upon the adjournment of Parliament yesterday, I met with the Head of State and tendered my advice to dissolve Parliament," she said. Fiame said that advice was accepted, and the Head of State has confirmed that the official dissolution of Parliament will take place on Tuesday, 3 June. According to Samoa's constitution, an election must be held within three months of parliament being dissolved. Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa in parliament on Tuesday. Photo: Samoa Government Fiame reassured the public that constitutional arrangements are in place to ensure the elections are held lawfully and smoothly. In the meantime, she said the government will operate in caretaker mode with oversight on public expenditure. "There are constitutional provisions governing the use of public funds by a caretaker government," she said. "Priority will be given to ensuring that the machinery of government continues to function." She also took a moment to thank the public for their prayers and support during this time. Despite the political instability, Fiame said Samoa's 63rd Independence Day celebrations will proceed as planned. The official program begins with a Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, 1 June at 6pm at Muliwai Cathedral. This will be followed by a flag-raising ceremony on Monday, 2 June in front of the Government Building at Eleele Fou. The dissolution of Parliament brings to an end months of political instability which began in January.
