The BNZ Crusaders have confirmed former Wallaby, Digby Ioane, has signed a 2 year contract with them & moves to join the squad next year.

Ioane who is of Samoan descent currently plays for the Honda Heat in the Japanese Top League.  He has previously played for the Western Force & Queensland Reds in Australia and represented Australia playing for the Wallabys between 2007 - 2013.  He then moved to Paris where he was signed to Stade Francais in the French domestic competition.

Ioane stated earlier about his signing “I have had a great time playing in France and Japan, but the opportunity to be part of a New Zealand Super Rugby team is too good to pass up.  I love the intensity and tempo of Super Rugby and the New Zealand teams are leading the charge in that respect at the moment, so I can’t wait to be a part of that.…more

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson & Dany Garcia's Seven Bucks Productions Digital studios has launched its own YouTube channel which will feature The Rocks own videos and others from Seven Bucks Productions.

The "YouTube Factory" launched the channel last week and this week they released their second video introducing us to 'Pokerock' - a Pokemon Go inspired character voiced by 'The Rock' himself.  

He says of Pokerock "You take this global sensation - Pokemon Go - which is incredibly succesful, highly addictive, so much fun and then we create a little character called 'Pokerock' and he turns into an a#$hole which is the funniest thing"

Here's an excerpt of the Forbes magazine review & you can read the full article here - “Pokerock” stars MatPat (of The Game Theorist) and features other talent like Ali A. The video also features an original spoof song sung by Jason Paige, the voice of the original Pokemon theme song.  In this parody of the popular Pokemon Go game, Pokerock proves uncatachable.…more

'More More' or 'More Momoa'?

Warner Bros released special footage of their upcoming movie 'Aquaman' for Comic Con over the weekend and we're pleased to report Jason Momoa is lookin mighty FIIIIINE dangerous as Aquaman - HOTNESSSSSS!

Some more pics below for your viewing pleasure .... Enjoy ;)

You're welcome!

BTS with Jason as Aquaman on the set of Justice League

Congratulations Benson! 

So awesome to see Polys doing well in Opera!  Check him out in the promo vid above for Operanesia (a collaboration between four classically trained singers who all hail from Auckland via the Pacific Islands of Samoa and Tonga)

The Baritone singer won the acclaimed Lexus Song Quests Grand Gala Final last night and was crowned 'Most Promising Opera Singer'.  He was up against 3 other finalists - 2 of whom were also of Pasifika descent.  His prize package included an immediate cash prize of $20,000, a Study Scholarship of $27,000, plus economy international travel up to the value of $3,000.

He has been a member of the New Zealand Youth choir since 2011 and also works as a vocal coach at several high schools in Auckland.  He's hoping to pursue post graduate training at one of the elite music institutions in the UK next year.

We're looking forward to hearing more from #BaritoneBenson in the future - Bravo Benson!  

Suggested Links:  

Bravo to our Lexus Song Quest Finalists

Sole Mio's Amitai Pati discusses new album

Our very own Poly Soul Queen Aaradhna drops her highly anticipated album "Brown Girl"  today.

We went behind the scenes of her Fresh TV shoot where she talked about the making of "Brown Girl", experiencing racism, her favourite Poly dishes and more ....

On the making of Brown Girl:  

I started working with Jeff Silverman - they sometimes call him Jeff Dynamite - from Truth & Soul Records based out in New York.  He'd worked with a lot of people that I admire, Adele, Aloe Blacc and just a whole bunch of people that their music I connect to and I felt like it was the right fit to do a whole album with him.  It was an awesome experience because I got to work on the album organically and like have musicians together and just jam in the room and thats the way I like to do things - just have a jam and see what fits.  So we got to do that out in Brooklyn, New York.…more

The Samoan boxer and manditory IBF heavyweight title challenger, Joseph Parker, has taken a special moment, just before tonight's fight against Solomon Hauomona, to give a shout out to all of his Poly fans on The Coconet.tv

22 year old Winston Hill is getting ready to represent Fiji at the Olympic Games in Rio in a couple of weeks.

The Fiji/Rotuma Island boxer has been fighting for the last 3 years and makes history as one of only 2 boxers in the Pacific Islands representing their countries in boxing at the Olympics this year.  It will also be the first time in 28 years that Fiji has had a boxer fight at the Olympics and only the 6th Fijian boxer ever to make the cut!

Winston has been training in Suva at Suva Boxing and Fitness Centre which his coach Napolean Taumoepeau owns and runs.  US born Taumoepeau is half Tongan & fought as an amateur for 10 years in the States before going professional and moved to Fiji with his wife (who is from Fiji) in 2011.  His last fight was in September but he's put his own career on hold to concentrate on helping Winston get to the Olympics.…more

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc was sued on Monday by former Fijian WWE star Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and dozens of other retired male and female wrestlers seeking to hold it responsible for neurological injuries they claimed to suffer by participating in its bouts.

The complaint was filed on behalf of more than 50 plaintiffs who have performed with WWE or its predecessors since the 1970s, including Joseph "Road Warrior Animal" Laurinaitis and Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff.

It accused Stamford, Connecticut-based WWE and Chairman Vince McMahon of intentionally classifying wrestlers as "independent contractors" rather than employees, as a means to avoid liability under applicable worker protection laws.

"WWE placed corporate gain over its wrestlers' health, safety, and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies," the complaint said.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as improved medical monitoring.…more

Reflections of a non-fashion Journalist 

I don’t do fashion – like never. My sisters do, but not me. Being naturally beautiful and stunning means I don’t need makeup….bahaha….but really, it’s for lack of beauty skills.  I like nice clothes and I do make an attempt occasionally, but when it comes to fashion, I would much rather go the casual route.  So when I pitched to cover the show for Coconet, I was not thinking straight, obviously I had been up all night with the 9 month old to put together logical thoughts.  Also, as a side note, I specialize in environmental journalism, so I must not have been thinking straight AT ALL!

Anyhow, my sister Omega who lives in the Middle East, travels the world for fun & knows the difference between a mascara and a lip pencil and her beautiful friend Liana who is Tongan from Sydney, wearing Guess heels and enough gold to sink a ship joined me “on assignment” that night.…more