May 14th 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
Warriors sign Jayson Bukuya for 2014 season
Top Cronulla back rower and former Fiji Bati, Jayson Bukuya is Vodafone Warriors-bound next season after signing a two-year contract.
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May 13th 2013
RUGBY
Chester Williams’ Pacific hunt for young talent
Springbok legend Chester Williams has been touring the Pacific, hand picking young talent for the Romanian club he coaches.
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May 9th 2013
PACIFIC GAMES
Pacific Games expansion expected in 2023
The likelihood of Australia and New Zealand being included in the Pacific Games could happen in 2023.
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May 7th 2013
Samoa assemble overseas players in one of strongest squads ever
Manu Samoa will tour South Africa next month as part of the International Rugby Boards new quadrangular fixture and they’ve put their best foot forward by naming one of their strongest squads ever.
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May 3rd 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
Hireme to lead Kiwi Ferns at World Cup
The team have announced that their captain for the campaign would be Honey Hireme who plays centre or second row. She will lead her country for the first time, following a selection process involving both her coaches and her peers.
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April 30th 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
Tongan coach proposes Pacific league tri-series
Tongan rugby league coach Charles Tonga wants an annual competition, held in New Zealand and played between the Kiwis and Pacific Island nations, during the State of Origin weeks.
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April 29th 2013
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Te'o overcomes scandal to reach NFL
Manti Te’o, the famous Notre Dame linebacker who appeared on the cover of SPASIFIK Issue 55 for the part he played in an elaborate online catfishing scandal, was finally picked up by the San Diego Chargers over the weekend in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
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April 26th 2013
Greater Olympic medal opportunity for Pacific Islands
Small Pacific nations will have a greater chance of winning their first medal when Rugby officially returns to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
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April 24th 2013
OLYMPICS
Olympic medal potential for Pacific Islands
Fiji and Samoa have a great opportunity to win a medal for the first time in their nations’ histories when Rugby returns to the Olympic Games programme in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, according to IRB Chief Executive Brett Gosper.
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April 22nd 2013
RUGBY
IRB acknowledge centenary of Fiji rugby
Fiji’s significant contribution to the game of rugby over the past 100 years has been commended by the IRB.
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April 18th 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
Ex Kiwis and Kangaroos named in Samoa and Tonga Rugby League squads
Eight former Kiwis and two ex Kangaroos have been named in the Samoa and Tonga squads to face off in the Pacific Rugby League test in Penrith.
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April 11th 2013
BOXING
Former Tua manager to coach Joseph Parker
After an ugly financial dispute destroyed the relationship between Kevin Barry and Samoan boxing legend David Tua, Barry is now working with the latest Samoan boxing prospect, Joseph Parker.
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April 8th 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
Hurrell still deciding between NZ and Tonga
The international future of Konrad Hurrell is still up in the air, with the blockbusting Warriors centre admitting he is yet to make up his mind whether he make himself available for New Zealand or Tonga.
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April 2nd 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
Sonny Bill Williams commits to Kiwis
Sonny Bill Williams has declared his availability for the Kiwis rugby league team for next month's Anzac Test - raising the prospect of the cross-code superstar chasing an elusive World Cup double later this year
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March 28th 2013
RUGBY
Palu and Polota-Nau support Taki Toa Festival
Wycliff Palu and Tatafu Polota Nau joined thousands of Islanders and Maori in Parramatta over the weekend (March 23) taking part in the Taki Toa Festival, a celebration of the Pacific Island and Maori cultures.
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March 26th 2013
SEVENS
Fiji win Hong Kong Sevens
Defending champions Fiji fought back to beat a valiant Wales 26-19 in the Hong Kong Sevens final in the weekend, the 14th time they have taken home the trophy.
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March 13th 2013
RUGBY
Fiji Warriors win again in round three of PRC
Fiji Warriors prevented a clean sweep by Australian teams in round three of the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2013 this week (March 12), the defending champions battling to a 27-22 win over Rebel Rising in Melbourne.
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March 7th 2013
RUGBY
Tongan youngster to represent Japan rugby
An 18-year-old Tongan exchange student currently on a rugby scholarship in Japan has been selected into the Japanese national team for his age group.
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March 7th 2013
CRICKET
First PNG woman to umpire international cricket
Helen Atai from Papua New Guinea has made history by becoming the first female umpire to travel abroad and represent the East-Asia Pacific region.
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March 4th 2013
UFC
Mark Hunt knocks out Stefan Strue to end lengthy battle
Kiwi-born Samoan Mark Hunt has beaten the Giant 7-foot frame of Stefan Struve knocking him out in the third round of the UFC Japan held over the weekend (March 3).
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February 28th 2013
RUGBY
Rene Ranger leaves the Blues for France
Blues centre Rene Ranger, who is of Cook Island descent, is heading to France to play his rugby for Montpellier, according to a report.
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February 28th 2013
CRICKET
PNG cricket team accepted into SA league
Cricket PNG’s general manager says the acceptance of the country’s national cricket team into the South Australian league will open up new opportunities for his players.
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February 27th 2013
SOFTBALL
Softball great back on the Diamond
Maori softball great and two time world champion, Nathan Nukunuku, has won a dramatic recall into the Black Sox team set to contest the world championship starting Friday at Rosedale Park in Auckland’s North Harbour.
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February 26th 2013
PACIFIC GAMES
Big plans for Pacific Games venue in PNG
Port Moresby’s premier sports venue, the Sir John Guise Stadium, will seat 15,000 spectators for the 2015 Pacific Games.
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February 26th 2013
Scrum trial set for Pacific Rugby Cup
The IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2013 will provide the backdrop for a revised scrum engagement trial, underpinning the IRB and its Member Unions ongoing commitment to improving issues currently associated with the scrum in elite Rugby while promoting the best-possible player welfare standards.
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February 22nd 2013
SOCCER
Soccer Sisters Festival welcomes all
Football Federation Samoa is hosting the first Soccer Sisters Festival of 2013 this weekend at the FFS headquarters in Tuanaimato and women of all ages and abilities are invited.
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February 20th 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
PNG rugby league still aiming for NRL
Papua New Guinea says it has not abandoned plans to have a team in the Australian National Rugby League competition.
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February 20th 2013
WAKA AMA
Takapuna Beach Cup set for 2013
This weekend Takapuna Beach will come alive with Waka Ama (Outrigger Canoe) Teams from all over New Zealand and the world descending on the beach.
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February 19th 2013
BOXING
Sonny Bill Williams rematch with Botha is on
Sonny Bill Williams and Francois Botha look set for a rematch in South Africa in December though there will be strict drug testing around the second edition of their heavyweight boxing battle.
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February 18th 2013
RUGBY SEVENS
Rugby Sevens to debut at Youth Olympic Games
International Rugby Board Chairman Bernard Lapasset is confident Rugby Sevens will be a hit with players and fans when it makes its Youth Olympic Games debut in Nanjing in 2014 ahead of its Olympic introduction at Rio 2016.
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February 15th 2013
AUSSIE RULES
Inmates take AFL behind bars in Solomon Islands
Inmates at a Solomon Islands prison are being taught how to play Australian Rules football as part of a scheme to instil discipline and leadership.
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February 14th 2013
OLYMPICS
Tonga luge athlete set for Olympic trial
Tonga could have its first luge athlete at the Winter Olympics next year. At first it was reported as a hoax, then it was uncovered as a sneaky marketing ploy, now it seems Tonga could have its first Luge athlete at the Winter Olympics next year.
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February 8th 2013
CRICKET
PNG win East Asia Pacific Twenty-20
Papua New Guinea has won the final of the East Asia Pacific Twenty-20 cricket championship earlier this week (Feb 7), defeating Vanuatu by 38 runs.
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February 8th 2013
AUSSIE RULES
Hawks sign Siope Ngata
Hawthron has added to its crop of International Scholarship holders by signing promising 15 year old Kiwi youngster, Siope Ngata.
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February 8th 2013
SOCCER
Draw for new-look OFC Champions League announced
OFC have announced the draw for the 2013 OFC Champions League, Oceania’s premier club competition and the qualifier for the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013.
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February 7th 2013
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Five Pacific players brought passion and power to Superbowl XLVII
The 2013 Super Bowl XLVII featured five Pacific players representing the island nations of Samoa and Tonga.
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February 5th 2013
RUGBY
NZRU pay tribute to Maori Board member Toni Marriner
The New Zealand Rugby Union paid tribute to New Zealand Maori Rugby Board member and Maori rugby administrator Toni Marriner who passed away, aged 64 surrounded by his whanau earlier this week (Feb 4) at Rotorua Hospital.
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February 1st 2013
RUGBY LEAGUE
Vodafone Warriors in Samoa
Vodafone Warriors players and staff took their rugby league message to hundreds of school pupils on the first full day of the club’s community visit to Samoa earlier this week (Jan 31).
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February 1st 2013
RUGBY
Faingaa gets Queensland Red captaincy nod
Tongan centre Anthony Faingaa will captain a 28-strong Queensland Reds squad boasting 11 Wallabies in their opening Super Rugby trial against the Blues at Toowoomba this weekend (Feb 2).
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