RNZ: The World in Sport

This week, we talk to the first woman to lead a Pacific Games organising committee, Flying Fijians prop Haereiti Hetet is one the line from quarantine and the RNZ Pacific team pick their Pacific sporting highlights of an unforgettable year.

Former Tonga international and campaign manager of the Moana Pasifika team is hopeful this is the beginning for Pacific Island rugby. Auckland Basketball are introducting new initiatives to help boost basketball in the regions, and to support more famillies from underprivileged communities. And, hundreds of people in the Cook Islands have walked around Rarotonga to promote a more active and healthy lifestyle.

Coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga has named the first ever Moana Pasifika squad to play the Maori All Blacks in Hamilton next month. Former Tall Black, Lindsay Tait, slams the Auckland basketball representative system. The Tonga Rugby Union is seeking a full-time chief executive officer.

The ongoing saga over governance around Tonga's rugby league takes another twist; 29 members of Fiji's rugby team have tested positive for Covid-19; Samoa's women are one step closer to the 2021 Rugby World Cup.

This week, Kanaloa Pasifika threatens legal action against New Zealand Rugby, Rugby World Cup qualification is on the line for the Samoa and Tonga women's teams and the AFL International Cup is the latest sporting casualty of the Covid-19.

This week, a special week for Papua New Guinea's newest National Rugby League champion, a Pacific link to England rugby's next number 10 and Samoa and Tonga step up preparations for their Women's Rugby World Cup playoff.

This week, the revived Cook Islands Games proves a hit, former Penrith Panthers second rower Tony Puletua reminisces ahead of this weekend's NRL grand final and Papua New Guinea's domestic rugby league season has a thrilling finish.

This week, we speak to one of the fresh faces selected in the new-look Flying Fijians rugby squad, we put the spotlight on women's rugby league, with exciting major developments in Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Niue and design work ramps up for the 2023 Pacific Games in Solomon Islands.

The Pacific Island community reacts to another Super Rugby snub, the Cook Islands Games gathers pace and the Pacific Mini Games set to be delayed until 2022.

Tonga Rugby agrees to a new governing arrangement, fears Covid 19 is curtailing NRL dreams for young Maori and Pasifika players and another milestone beckons for women's rugby league in Papua New Guinea.

This week...Fiji braces for a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, Strict eligibility rules are discouraging New Zealand's Pasifika netball players from representing their heritage, and half a dozen competing bids have signalled their interest in becoming the first Pacific Super Rugby franchise.

New Zealand Maori Rugby League (NZMRL) is working with the sport's national body in reviewing the way the game is being delivered, to ensure Maori and Pasifika community clubs are being included. Samoa men's sevens coach Muliagatele Brian Lima believes it could take two years for the team to become contenders again on the World Series. And, the niggles never truly go away, but Fijian winger Patrick Osborne is confident his legs still have a few miles left in them yet.

This week...Pacific Games workers dominate a so-called repatriation flight from China to Solomon Islands, New Zealand Rugby League is challenged to have more Maori and Pasifika voices in governance roles and Oceania Football teams up with the English FA.

This week...Fiji Rugby League appoints a new coach with old ties, Covid-19 continues to create challenges for the upcoming Pacific Mini Games and Fiji Football looks to the future.

This week...the new chair of the Fiji Rugby Union talks Covid and competing on the world stage, a new Pacific team puts up its hand to join Super Rugby and more local sports are free to resume competition.

The New Zealand Warriors rugby league club is challenged to better understand the culture and values of its Pacific players, the new Manu Samoa head coach talks about his vision for the team and Papua New Guinea's cricketers set their sights on India.

This week, the first Pacific Island owned professional rugby team is now a reality, a Tahitian football star is offered the chance to play in Europe and a Pacific Island rugby league team based in New Caledonia and Vanuatu tries to maintain its momentum in the face of Covid-19.

Former All Black Saveatama Eroni Clarke wants to tap more into the potential of New Zealand's Pasifika community. Former Samoa rugby internationals back a local to lead the Manu. Fiji footballers are setting sights on a potential World Cup berth. And the Vanuatu women's beach volleyball team are set to boost a community-based tournament in celebration of the nations 40 years of independence.

This week, the Oceania Weightlifting Institute closes its doors, Fiji National Rugby League aims to revive it's women's domestic competition,  PNG's top cricketers remain upbeat despite the likely postponement of the T20 World Cup in Australia and two American rugby internationals join the board of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare.

This week, Papua New Guinea athlete Debbie Kaore speaks out after being a victim of domestic assault, Ardie Savea headlines the addition of five current and former All Blacks to the board of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare and calls for a local coach to take charge of the Samoa sevens team.

This week, it's all about Covid-19, with Pacific Island sporting teams not immune from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Franck Castillo, John Kapi Natto, Muliagatele Brian Lima, Koro Vaka'uta, Talei Anderson, Vinnie Wylie. Description: This week, the Oceania Football Confederation has postponed all tournaments and meetings until May, the Papua New Guinea Football Association is close to hiring a new men's national coach, despite owing the previous appointee money and we catch up with Manuma Samoa ahead of their Global Rapid Rugby debut.

This week, Tonga qualifies two taekwondo athletes for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Tahiti is confirmed to host the 2024 Olympic surfing competition and Tonga is a step closer to qualifying for the women's Rugby World Cup.

This week, a Samoan sailor will compete at the Olympic Games for the first time, Tonga move a step closer to a permanent spot on the Men's World Sevens Series, Tonga and Papua New Guinea get another shot at qualifying for the Women's Rugby World Cup and the Oceania Champions League football competition heats up.

This week, Tonga Rugby League's governing body reacts to their expulsion from International Rugby League, New Zealand Rugby makes moves to connect with the country's Pasifika population and two Samoan kayakers secure their seats at the Tokyo Olympics.

This week, the tennis community on Guam is celebrating an impressive debut in the Fed Cup women's competition, two Pacific nations begin their quest to qualify for the Men's World Sevens Series, the Papua New Guinea football league leaders return to the OFC Champions League after a long absence and a Samoan teenager's NFL dream.

This week, Fiji cricket mourns the death of former men's captain Josefa Rika, Fiji rediscovers some magic on the World Sevens Series, Guam makes it's debut in the Fed Cup tennis competition, Clubs from Samoa and the Cook Islands advance to the OFC Champions League main draw and the new Fiji men's football coach dreams big.

This week, the Pacific Islands will go head to head at next year's Rugby League World Cup, the World Sevens Series returns to Hamilton with a revamped format, the OFC Champions League qualifiers kick off, Vanuatu Volleyball begins their final Olympic push and PNG Netball pins their hopes on youth.

This week, the Solomon Islands Football Federation has been banned from competing at the next Under 17 World Cup qualifiers, two Pacific Island nations will feauture in a new global sevens series and Tonga's newest world champion wants more Pasifika to give lawn bowls a go.

This week, Papua New Guinea's National Soccer League to feature a heavily reduced line-up, Fiji's first semi-professional rugby league team has begun training, progress in Solomon Islands towards the 2023 Pacific Games and young athletes get their chance to impress and NFL legend.

This week, the Fiji women's rugby team have qualified for their first ever World Cup, a new men's World Sevens Series campaign kicks off in Dubai and a Papua New Guinea tennis player aims to end 2019 on a high.

This week, the Tonga women's rugby team are welcoming their World Cup lifeline, Tahiti make an early exit at the Beach Soccer World Cup, we hear from the new Papua New Guinea Hunters rugby league coach and tensions continue to rise between Pacific Island tag teams.

This week, the Tonga women's rugby team are welcoming their World Cup lifeline, Tahiti make an early exit at the Beach Soccer World Cup, we hear from the new Papua New Guinea Hunters rugby league coach and tensions continue to rise between Pacific Island tag teams.

This week, the Cook Islands qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, history for rugby league in Papua New Guinea and the Flying Fijians conquer the Barbarians with a dazzling display in London.

Fiji and Australia book Olympic sevens qualification, five senior Pacific Islands internationals have been named in New Zealand's Super Rugby teams for the 2020 campaign while the Fiji rugby league team have won promotion into the top tier of the Oceania Cup.

Tonga's rugby league team are setting their sights on world cup glory, Olympic qualification is up for grabs at the Oceania Sevens in Suva and Papua New Guinea's World Cup bound cricketers return home to a heroes welcome.

The Papua New Guinea men's cricket team have sealed a historic place at the T20 World Cup; Tonga's defensive steel is praised in their win over Great Britain; The Fiji Bati are looking to improve their world ranking in the Oceania Cup; And New Zealand and Solomon Islands are still searching for wins at the FIFA U-17 Football World Cup in Brazil.

A founding member of the Mate Ma'a Tonga rugby league team says community support for the team has dwindled, a disappointing Rugby World Cup for Pacific Island nations has revived calls for a revamp of international eligibility rules and Solomon Islands asks China for help with hosting the 2023 Pacific Games.

World In Sport for 9 October 2019.

During another week of turmoil for Tonga Rugby League, we talk through all the issues with Football Director Duane Mann; Manu Samoa register the first Pacific victory at the Rugby World Cup in Japan; Tonga's Nasi Manu makes emotional international rugby comeback against England; Solomon Islands has been cleared to participate in next month's U-17 FIFA Football World Cup in Brazil.

Its test week for the Rugby World Cup and we speak with our reporter Vinnie Wylie in Japan about how the Pacific teams are shaping up for the tournament. Their is a divisive split around the Mate Ma'a Tonga Rugby League team which seems to be about money and mismanagement. We speak to a Tongan community leader in New Zealand about the impact it is having on the fans. And we check in on the Vanuatu cricket team who were beaten by Canada in their opening match of the Cricket World Cup Challenge League in Malaysia.

The Tonga National Rugby League board defends the sacking of coach Kristian Woolf, Pacific rugby teams touch down in Japan for the World Cup and Guam's footballers find it tough going in Asian and World Cup qualifying.

Tonga, Fiji and Samoa have all confirmed their squads for the Rugby World Cup in Japan, New Zealand basketballer Issac Fotu talks about his Tongan heritage and being a role model for young Pasifika athletes and departing PNG Hunters rugby league coach Michael Marum reflects on six years in charge.

Oceania Rugby aiming for more tournaments for Tier 3 nations; Nauru aiming high for International XV's debut; Western Force looking forward to playing Tonga this weekend; And Fiji aiming for continuity in search for new football coach.

Oceania Rugby aiming for more tournaments for Tier 3 nations, Nauru aiming high for International XV's debut and Western Force looking forward to playing Tonga this weekend.

A prominent Vanuatu football club is forced to wind up over a massive FIFA fine. Fiji loses its grip on the Pacific Nations Cup and Tonga in good shape for the rugby World Cup.

The Solomons U17 continues to prepare for World Cup despite court action; The final round of rugby's Pacific Nations Cup take place in Fiji; The Australian Rules community in the Pacific Islands mourns the death of the man who grew the sport in Samoa and PNG; Rugby's Black Ferns team up with UNICEF for a new disaster response programme.

The Samoa government is accelerating plans to build a new national rugby stadium following criticism of the playing field at Apia Park, mixed results for Fiji, Samoa and Tonga in the opening round of the Pacific Nations Cup and it's sink or swim for Pita Taufatofua in his bid to compete at the Canoe Sprint World Championships.

World in Sport for 24 July 2019.

This week the Pacific Games are now in full swing in Samoa; the emotional return of number eight Nasi Manu headlines Tonga's 31-man squad for the Pacific Nations Cup rugby competition; and the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League opens up a Bank Account to assist PNG LNG Kumul player Kurt Baptiste.

This week the Pacific Games are now in full swing in Samoa; the emotional return of number eight Nasi Manu headlines Tonga's 31-man squad for the Pacific Nations Cup rugby competition; and the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League opens up a Bank Account to assist PNG LNG Kumul player Kurt Baptiste.