Pacific fans can watch World Cup games at home
Football fans in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea can watch and enjoy the thrill of the FIFA Women’s World Cup through a partnership between the world governing body and the Oceanic Football Confederation.
As part of this partnership, festival zones with giant screens will be created in Suva, Lautoka and Ba, as well as the Damodar Cinema Suva in Fiji, the PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby and the Lawsom Tama National Stadium in Honiara will be used to show matches from the Quarterfinals up to Final.
Emma Evans, OFC women’s football manager, said OFC is committed to increasing the visibility of women’s football and expanding the reach of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 to the Pacific.
The three national football associations will have their own programs as part of the partnership.
Davis in court with Wellington Phoenix
Fiji-Kula Football Representative Trina Davis is set to stand trial at Wellington Phoenix Football Club this weekend.
Davis, who played for the Fijians at the Oceanian Women’s Football Championship in Suva earlier this year, is now in the capital to try out for the club.
Born in the United States, Trina was an influential figure in the Fiji Kulas squad.
The 21-year-old had played for Israeli club ASA Tel Aviv in her first professional contract in 2021 before securing a contract with Puerto Rico Sol FC in 2022 and playing in the Superior Femenino de la Liga Puerto Rico.
Trina Davis, center, will take part in a test with the Wellington Phoenix.
Photo: Avikash Chand / OFC Media
Boxing boost in Tonga for the Pacific Games
Tonga’s boxing squad for the 2023 Pacific Games is bolstered by the addition of one of New Zealand’s top amateur boxers, Matt Mataika.
Mataika has moved to Tonga ahead of next year’s Olympics so he won’t have to pay his way to the games himself, Stuff NZ countered.
Mataika and trainer Isaac Peach have been given the green light by Tonga Amateur Boxing to join the Tongan team for the Honiara Games.
He is eligible for Tonga because his parents are both Tongans who also grew up in the kingdom.
Cama named new NZ7s manager
Tomasi Cama has been appointed as the new head coach of the New Zealand men’s rugby sevens team, replacing Clark Lidlaw.
Cama, who arrived from Fiji almost 30 years ago as part of a rugby exchange program between Meads Nabua and Hamilton here in New Zealand, was named the leader by the New Zealand Rugby Union on Friday (11 August).
Cama has played 61 tournaments in the black jersey and is the All Blacks Sevens’ all-time leading scorer.
His father Tomasi Cama senior was a Fiji representative in both sevens and fifteens and also coached the Fiji sevens team in the past.
Fijians in Wallabies Rugby World Cup squad
Six players of Fijian descent have been called up to the Wallabies’ 33-man squad coach Eddie Joes has announced for September’s Rugby World Cup in France.
Wingers Suliasi Vunivalu, Marika Koroibete and Mark Waqanitawase, center Samu Kerevi and forwards Rob Valetini and Langi Glees were named on Thursday.
But the surprising omissions are former captain Michael Hooper and flyhalf Quade Cooper.
Jones has also named Will Skeleton, a player of Tongan descent, to captain his side which will face Fiji, Wales, Uruguay and Georgia at the World Cup.
Samoa and Fiji depart
The Manu Samoan rugby team flew out of Apia earlier this week and were greeted by fans who lined the streets from their Taumeasina Island resort to Faleolo International Airport.
Fans followed the team bus all the way through the city of Apia and cheered on the players on the way to the airport’s departure lounge, the Samoa Observer reported.
Samoans, like their Pacific neighbors Fiji, moved to France early on to acclimatize and played warm-up games there as well.
Manu Samoa meets the United Kingdom Barbarians and Ireland in their last clashes before the World Cup next week.
Meanwhile, the first contingent of Flying Fijians players heading to the Rugby World Cup left Nadi International Airport for Paris on Thursday morning.
A total of 27 players and officials, led by head coach Simon Raiwalui, are now traveling to France where they will play two pre-World Cup friendlies against France and England.
The rest of the players will leave for France on Saturday.
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