Latest news with #PNGHunters
RNZ News
17 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 20 June
Photo: RNZ Two Fiji-born wingers will be on opposite sides in Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final. Chiefs player Emoni Narawa will line up against Sevu Reece of the Crusaders in what is expected to be also a final All Blacks trial run for the duo. Both are in contention for All Blacks inclusion, with impressive performances so far this season. Narawa scored two tries against the Brumbies in their semi-final clash last weekend, while Reece is the competition's top try-scorer with 66 tries. Public ticket allocations for the final were exhausted within minutes of going on sale on Tuesday. A number of players with Pasifika heritage were on opposing sides in Wednesday's State of Origin II in Perth, which the Queensland Maroons won 26-24. Queensland's win means the series with be decided in the third game in three weeks. Samoa heritage player Valentine Holmes was a star for the Maroons, with a perfect night off the tee, kicking four conversions and a penalty goal. The Blues had a number of players with Samoan lineage, which included winger Brian To'o, who scored a hat trick, foward Payne Haas and Jarome Luai. PNG Hunters head coach Paul Aiton says they can not afford 'silly errors' when they meet the Brisbane Tigers in the Hostplus Cup round 14 match in Brisbane on Sunday. The Post-Courier reports Aiton saying he does not want to see the same mistakes that have cost them two recent matches happening again against the Tigers. He says while the team's forward pack and bench rotation have performed well, they've struggled to consistently finish sets and close out games. But despite the challenges and a significant number of debutants this season, Aiton remains confident, believing consistent execution will lead to positive results for the team. Papua New Guinea's women's Twenty20 cricket team has beaten the Australian indigenous team for the first time, at a cricket invitational in Port Moresby. Chasing 112 runs to win, the Lewas reached the target with one ball to spare and two wickets in hand, finishing on 113 for 8. They also top the table with two days of matches to play, based on net run rate. In Thursday's other game, Vanuatu beat Samoa by nine runs. On Friday, PNG is taking on Vanuatu and Samoa plays the Australian indigenous team. Tonga's sports minister Sinai Tu'itahi says funds will be secured for the hosting of the 2031 Pacific Games. Talanoa 'o Tonga reported both Tu'itahi and Prime Minister Dr 'Aisake Eke "agree to host the 2031 Pacific Games in Tonga" and have detailed funding plans that will be presented in Parliament soon. Tu'itahi said the sports levy fee, initially set up for the hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games which Tonga later backed out of, will be diverted towards preparation for the 2031 Games. She also confirmed that two unnamed foreign countries have offered support, with the government already stating it will need around US$26 million to fund its six‑year Games roadmap. Flanker Miracle Failagi has extended his Super Rugby Pacific contract with Moana Pasifika. The franchise said the 25-year-old has become an important figure for the team. Head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga said Failagi is a huge part of the Moana Pasifika movement. Failagi formed a strong loose trio partnership with departing captain Ardie Savea and Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa this year and ranked among the top tacklers and ball carriers in the competition. The head of Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) Keziah Lewis has resigned. Cook Islands News reported the committee has confirmed the resignation. Committee president, Luisa Peters, said Lewis had successfully steered the organization through two leadership changes and introduced new ideas which aimed to benefit athletes and the sporting community. Lewis' resignation will be effective from 10 July.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 16 June
Photo: PHOTOSPORT Former All Blacks Pita Gus Sowakula will join the Flying Fijians squad after the two early tests against the Wallabies and Scotland next month. Head coach Mick Byrne said the France-based loose forward will be eligible to play for Fiji from 6 July, the day Fiji meets the Wallabies in Sydney. reported Byrne saying that Sowakula wants to be involved with Fiji heading into the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational is underway in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. PNG played first up but were beaten by the Australian indigenous team by eight wickets. PNG had scored 108 for 6 from their 20 overs. Sunday's second match, between Samoa and Vanuatu, was abandoned due to rain. On Monday, Samoa is up against the Australian indigenous team while PNG faces Vanuatu. The PNG Hunters suffered a narrow 18-16 defeat to the Sunshine Coast Falcons on Sunday in round 13 of the 2025 Hostplus Cup in Port Moresby. The Post Courier reported the game was a tightly contested match and the Hunters fought hard but couldn't overcome an early deficit. The Falcons Falcons led 16-12 lead into the break. The Hunters remain in eighth spot with six wins from 12 games so far. Two former students from the famous Queen Victoria School in Fiji will be on opposite sides of the field in Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final. Crusaders Sevu Reece and the Chiefs' Emoni Narawa both went through the Tailevu-based school that has dominated Fiji's secondary schools' first XV rugby competition, known as the Deans Trophy. Both were in action for their teams during the semi-finals. Narawa scored twice in the Chiefs' 37-17 win over the Brumbies, while Reece played a strong game to help the Crusaders beat the Blues 21-14. Palau's national men's baseball team have won the 2025 Taiwan-Palau Baseball Exchange Tournament, an important stepping stone towards their Pacific Mini Games campaign. The Island Times reports the Palau team won all their six matches. Palau Major League and Palau Baseball Federation Chairman, Mlib Tmetuchl, says the event gave their players much-needed game time before they host the Games from 29 June. The ambassador from the Republic of China (Taiwan) Embassy in Koror, Jessica Lee, says the Palau team recently returned from more than a month of training in Taiwan. She says they are gold medal prospects at the upcoming Pacific Mini Games. Weightlifting Fiji has finalised their nine-member team to the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau. The Fiji Sun newspaper reports head coach Henry Elder has named his team to challenge for medals at the event, which officially opens on 29 June. The Pacific's number one lifter in the men's 88 kilogram category, Nehemiah Elder, is in the team and is a top prospect for medals. In May, he won three gold medals at the 2025 IWF World Youth Championships in Lima, Peru, in the men's 89kg youth division. Others in the team include 2023 Pacific Games gold medallist Taniela Rainibogi.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cas confirm hooker Rimbu's exit
Castleford Tigers hooker Judah Rimbu has been released from his contract by mutual agreement. The 23-year-old was signed on a two-year deal in 2024 from Queensland Cup side PNG Hunters. Rimbu made 10 first-team appearances and had further outings in the reserves, but has struggled to break into Castleford's matchday squad. Advertisement Tigers director of rugby Chris Chester said: "I would like to thank Judah for his time and efforts at the club. "He wanted first-team opportunities but unfortunately, we couldn't guarantee them and after amicable discussions granted him release by mutual agreement."
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Cas confirm hooker Rimbu's exit
Castleford Tigers hooker Judah Rimbu has been released from his contract by mutual 23-year-old was signed on a two-year deal in 2024 from Queensland Cup side PNG made 10 first-team appearances and had further outings in the reserves, but has struggled to break into Castleford's matchday director of rugby Chris Chester said: "I would like to thank Judah for his time and efforts at the club."He wanted first-team opportunities but unfortunately, we couldn't guarantee them and after amicable discussions granted him release by mutual agreement."
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 12 June
Fijian Drua fans at Churchill Park, Lautoka. Photo: PHOTOSPORT The Fijian Drua have revealed a new player signing ahead of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season. Canberra-based centre Iosefo Namoce has signed a two-year deal with the Nadi-based franchise. The Drua are expected to release 10 players at the end of this season, and recruit a couple of other players in the next few weeks for the 2026 season. The PNG Hunters head coach Paul Aiton has made changes to the team facing the Sunshine Coas Falcons, in a Hostplus Cup rugby league match in Port Moresby this weekend. The National newspaper reports fullback Sanny Wabo - was injured in the 16-50 loss to the Redcliffe Dolphins last weekend - is being replaced by debutant Douglas David. The PNG Hunters have dropped to eighth, from sixth spot, and a win against the seventh-placed Falcons can see them go back one slot up. Former Wallabies halfback Will Genia - who has Papua New Guinea heritage - returned home at the weekend to play club rugby for the team he started his career with. The National reported 36-year-old Genia helped his Valley Hunters team to a 26-19 win over the Crusaders in the Capital Rugby Union competition. Genia said he was happy to be back where it all started for him as a 16-year-old, and he is yet to make up his mind on whether to continue playing or take up coaching in Japan. Genia retired from international rugby after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, having earned 110 international caps for the Wallabies. The Fiji under-21 women's netball squad will compete in a warm-up tournament in Suva next month, as part of their Netball World Youth Cup preparations. FBC News reported the tournament will run from 7-11 July at the Vodafone Arena in Suva. Head coach Simone Nalatu said they will field two Fiji under-21 teams, made up of players in their 27-member squad. Fiji will be joined by Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar. Two Papua New Guinea weightlifters, named to compete at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau at the end of this month, are excited about the opportuity to compete against the region's best. The Post Courier reported Kari Anna Mea and Rarua Tolana Mavara are part of the 12-member team that will compete at the Games. The duo acknowledged the support of top PNG lifters like Dika Toua, Morea Baru and Steven Kari, who assisted in their development as lifters. Mea will be making her debut while Marana had first represented PNG at the 2015 Pacific Games. New Zealand weightlifer David Liti says he wants to inpsire the next generation of athletes when he competes at the Pacific Mini Games in Palau later this month. Speaking on PMN's Pacific Mornings program, Liti said that despite his international success at events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, he is motivated by the opportunity to encourage young athletes closer to home. He said inspiring young children who might follow his rise in weightlifting could "spark a journey for them to be one of the greats in the future". Liti, who is of Tongan heritage, is part of Team New Zealand to the Games, which officially opens on 29 June in Koror, Palau. Vanuatu Judo will have seven members at the Pacific Mini Games. Vanuatu Daily Post reported the team includes 16-year-old debutant Kaina Derliue. Vanuatu claimed three medals at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, and Monvoisin said they are hpeful they can repeat the same in Palau.
