Fiji

New Zealand take on Fiji in tomorrow night's Rugby League Cup quarter-final in Wellington, with the Bati hoping to replicate Tonga's efforts in upsetting the tournament co-hosts.

As RNZ sports reporter Joe Porter discovered, the Fijians are bullish, with Tonga's victory breathing life into the tier two nations.

The Fiji five-eighth backed the call of Tonga prop Andrew Fifita to have a combined Pacific Islands side included in future Four Nations tournaments, against New Zealand, Australia and England.

Hayne and Fifita were part of the Kangaroos team that won the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and are now among players from, so-called, tier-one nations opting to play for their country of heritage. Fifita said a team comprising Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa players would be a match for anyone and Hayne's a believer too.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was speaking at the COP23 Climate Conference in Bonn, Germany.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said while progress had been made in protecting ecosystems to enhance resilience to climate change, real incentives were needed to attract more investment in delivering nature based solutions.

Some countries and corporations are taking action to cut emissions from forest use and establish sustainable forestry management.

The Pacific Nations Cup holders pipped the Azzurri 22-19 in Suva earlier this year, with first five Ben Volavola slotting an 80th minute drop-goal to secure a dramatic victory.

Fiji also prevailed when the teams met in Suva three years ago but have only managed one win from five tests on Italian soil, way back in 1999.

Coach John McKee believes they have a real opportunity.

The two nations had never met before Friday and they made up for lost time, producing a match that had everything a rugby league fan could ask for. 

Breathtaking tries, wonderful individual performances, huge hits and three controversial sin-bins were just some of the highlights of the fiery clash that for a long time was a lot closer than the scoreboard suggests. 

Needing to win by 46 to progress to the quarter-finals, it was always going to be a tough ask for the Italians and they did not help their cause in the early stages. 

Fiji’s Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama is chairing the International Climate Change conference (COP23) which is currently being held here in Bonn, Germany.

Mr Paula Ma’u, the Head of the Tonga delegation and Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of MEIDECC said Tonga supports Fiji’s Presidency and the call by Mr Bainimarama for urgency on the part of world leaders and climate change negotiators.

This is to ensure that action is taken now rather than later as Tonga and other Pacific countries continue to experience the effects of climate change.

The Flying Fijians kick off their campaign against the Wallabies on Saturday September 21st in Sapporo with the 'Ikale Tahi taking on Six Nations champions England at the same venue a day later.

Tongan coach Toutai Kefu said at least they get arguably the toughest match out of the way early.

"There's many ways to look at it but I think it suits us. We play England up the top there in Sapporo and then make our way down the country," he said.

Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama is presiding over the 11 day long talks, known as COP 23, which starts next week.

The Fijian government said it was ensuring Fiji's "Bula" spirit is stamped on the occasion by providing cultural shows, a Fijian drua or sailing canoe in the main foyer and talanoa-style negotations.

Fiji, along with most Pacific island countries, wants to see a one-point-five-degree limit on global temperature rise above pre industrial levels.

Ms. Senolita Fonokalafi, the Senior Cultural Programme Officer and Ms. Milika Pomana who is responsible for the revamping of the Tonga National Museum are recipients of the South-South Exchange Program (NZ funded) and organized by the Pacific Community (SPC) in Suva.

The purpose of the exchange program was to inundate our two Tongan colleagues on systems and mechanisms of operating a museum which will aid them in setting up the inactive Tongan Museum.

Fiji is co-hosting the UN conference on climate change in Germany and is holding a series of preliminary meetings this week in Nadi.

Most Pacific countries have long backed limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees celsius abover pre-industrial levels, while New Zealand and Australia have committed to two-degrees in line with most other developed nations.

At the meeting, Australia is set to face criticism over the planned Adani coal mine in Queensland and PICAN's Genevieve Jiva said it should not go ahead.