Pacific teams

Family affair at the Oceania Lawn Bowls Challenge 2023

The competition was set up to help bowlers from across the region gain experience and knowledge in the sport, especially as there will be no lawn bowls competition at this year’s Pacific games in Honiara.

Tagata Pasifika reports Brett O’Riley, who is the Oceania Regional Director for lawn bowls, says that those tournaments are key for Pacific and Māori bowlers. Discussion between him and NZ Lawn Bowls led to the establishment of this tournament.

“This tournament is the perfect idea for the growth of participation in Māori and Pacific communities,” O’Riley says.

Super Rugby Pacific teams to move to Queenstown

The NZR says the decision to move to Queenstown is to reduce the risk of Covid-19 sidelining any of the teams and provide the best chance of the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific season kicking off as scheduled in just over two weeks' time.

The NZR's Chris Lendrum says it would only take one Covid-19 case in a squad environment to shut down an entire squad for 10 days.

"The knock-on effect for the rest of the competition would be the postponement or cancellation of matches," Lendrum said.

NZ Rugby confident Pacific teams will make 2022 competition

World Rugby said on Wednesday it will spend $2.4 million annually over three years to help facilitate the entry of Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika into the competition, subject to NZR Board approval and key conditions being met.

"We're really confident. We're not there yet but we've been working really hard with both entities over a period of over six months now," NZR head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum said.

"This is two really serious attempts by two really serious teams and a very serious national union here in NZ to establish these two teams.

Pacific Nations teams push for more home Tests

The success of last year's tournament across Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand has opened the door for international games to be showcased in a similar way to the NRL taking clashes to regional areas in Australia throughout 2018.

The annual mid-season Pacific Tests, which have been played since 2013, have been based in Sydney's west for the last five years – an agreement that will continue next season.

Pacific sides seeking improvement at Hamilton 7s

The Olympic champions finished top of their pool at last weekend's Sydney tournament, including wins over Samoa and New Zealand.

But their title hopes were ended with a 24-7 defeat by the USA in the Cup quarter final, before the All Blacks Sevens cruised to a 31-7 victory in the playoff for fifth place.

Gareth Baber said they weren't good enough when it mattered, with kick-offs an area that needs some work.

FIFA rankings reflect competitive year

2016 OFC Nation’s Cup runners-up Papua New Guinea have moved up the rankings three places to 159 taking them to second place in the regional rankings and moving them much closer to their Kiwi rivals.

Their current ranking is the highest the nation has ever been positioned, surpassing their 2004 ranking of 161. The side has flourished under Danish coach Flemming Serritslev making the final of the OFC Nations Cup for the first time in their history, and their place at 159th reinforces the successes the nation has had over the past 12 months.

Matai Akauola’s diary from Rio

As you wake up to a Wednesday morning in the Pacfic, we are closing of on a hot Tuesday here in Rio, venue for the 2016 Olympic Games which will officially open in 10 days’ time. Rio is 15 hours behind Fiji.

This morning’s Chef de Mission’s meet was attended by Cook Islands, Guam, Fiji and Vanuatu.

There was much improvement from day one, as accommodation issues were being addressed and attended too. 

There were complaints of the Brazilian military helicopters flying over the Games Village and disturbing sleep. 

Hong Kong 7s a crucial marker for Pacific teams

Twenty eight teams are in town for the latest stop on the World Series, with 16 competing in the main draw and 12 hoping to secure a permanent berth on next year's circuit by winning the core-team qualifier.

Fiji will be defending both the Hong Kong title and their lead in the World Series this weekend.