Coco Talanoa — Sports / Page 8

By Thomas Airey

Manu Samoa are officially a top-10 rugby team in the world for the first time in eight years but head coach Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua said his team are not under any more pressure than usual.

Vaovasamanaia, who has guided the Manu to eight wins and three losses (7-1 in test matches) since taking the reins in 2021, said high expectations from fans are always part and parcel of playing for Samoa.

“That’s been there regardless of what our ranking has been,” he said.

“For us it’s really accepting and embracing that our people are very passionate about this team and its performances. I think it just adds to the motivation.”

Manu Samoa’s current squad of 40 players assembled in Samoa on July 1, spending two weeks embedded with their people and that passion across the islands of Upolu and Savai’i.

Vaovasamanaia said cultural activities like rowing the fautasi under the guidance of legendary skipper Vaimasenu'u Zita Martel set the team up well for the rest of the year.…more

By Thomas Airey 

The ‘Ikale Tahi began their journey to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in impressive fashion but head coach Toutai Kefu insists his team are yet to scratch the surface of their potential.

In their first game at home since 2019, Tonga defeated Australia A 27-21 at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa last Friday.

Kefu’s side have been in camp in the Kingdom for over a fortnight and he said they always get a sense of connection and belonging when they can start a campaign in Tonga.

“Off the field stuff, the boys have really engaged,” he said, noting a handful of players were visiting their ancestral homeland for the first time.

“I’ve encouraged all of them to get out amongst it, mix with family, go and see where their parents and grandparents were born.”

The centrepiece of their stay was the game against Australia A, marking both 50 years since ‘Ikale Tahi beat the Wallabies in 1973 and the 100 year jubilee of the Tonga Rugby Union.…more

By Thomas Airey 

The three Pasifika players at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand are all set to play on the opening night of the tournament this evening (Thursday 20th July).

Samoan New Zealander Malia Steinmetz will likely be the first of the trio in action having cemented herself in the Football Ferns’ best starting XI.

The 24-year-old has started in seven straight international games dating back to February, most often shielding the backline as the team’s deepest midfielder.

Co-captain Ria Percival’s return from a serious knee injury that had kept her off the pitch for more than a year has not bumped Steinmetz onto the bench.

In warmups against Vietnam (a 2-0 win) and Italy (a 0-1 loss) in the last 10 days Percival has taken up that defensive holding role with Steinmetz’s youth and versatility applied to an all-rounder position slightly higher up the pitch.…more

The full rugby game at Teufaiva Stadium in Tonga between the Ikale Tahi (Tongan international rugby side) and Australia A on Friday the 14th July 2023.

Team lists below - 

By Thomas Airey 

Fa’alogo Tana Umaga has already seen the benefits of Moana Pasifika for rugby players representing their national teams and is excited to continue that work as the new head coach.

The first All Blacks captain of Pacific Island descent was announced as Aaron Mauger’s replacement on Sunday night, having signed a three-year contract.

Fa’alogo, who was born in Lower Hutt, Wellington to Samoan immigrant parents, said his bold but realistic goal for that tenure is improving the bottom-placed side in 2023’s Super Rugby Pacific to a perennial quarterfinalist that can challenge for the top four.

With a coaching background stretching back to 2008, Fa’alogo served as head coach of the Blues from 2016 to 2018 before stepping back into an assistant role in charge of defence for three years, the same role he has filled with Manu Samoa since 2021.

He returned to the Blues this year in a player and coaching development role after a break to set up a natural health supplements business with wife Rochelle.…more

NFL legends and founders of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame were back down under with their Goodwill Mission for the first time since Covid closed borders in 2020.

They've partnered with rugby legends in both the Pacific and New Zealand with the aim of uplifting Pasifika communities and bringing young people into opportunities and education using rugby and football to reach kids and people in our community.

Prior to travelling to New Zealand they visited both American Samoa and Samoa donating Microsoft Surface Pro computers and running football camps with youth there.

We caught up with 4x Superbowl Champion, former NFL player and founder of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame - Seiuli Manase Jesse Sapolu, CEO of Coaching Charities - Kevin Kaplan (he helps run the charity foundations of NFL stars like Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa and Juju Smith-Schuster) along with All Blacks legend La'auli Sir Michael Jones who they've partnered with here in NZ.…more

By Destiny and Penina Momoiseā

In the NRL, every club has at least one Welfare and Education Manager who looks after the wellbeing of the players in their charge and in New Zealand, the NRL funds not only the One NZ Warriors wellbeing officers at a club level but also the New Zealand Rugby League wellbeing team at a national level (Elite Pathways).

Suicides of young men in the rugby league community have underlined the urgency to normalise conversations around mental health and the NRL have recognised that it can be a challenging experience to leave home at a young age, or simply to face the responsibilities of playing the sport they love at a high level.…more

The Ones, Jey and Jimmy Uso joined the one and only Ariel Helwani for a rare and fascinating sit down ahead of The Bloodline Civil War last weekend with Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa at the O2 Arena in London for Money in the Bank.

Jey and Jimmy spoke about their historic run, The Bloodline, headlining Wrestlemania, their father (Rikishi) and a whole lot more ... 

Then watch highlights from the match over the weekend below - 

685 to the UK - The Uso's getting love from fans in London ... 

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Never forget the time the Usos and Roman Reigns broke character at the beginning of their feud here 

via RNZ 

Cover image: Michael Boxall and Bill Tuiloma by PHOTOSPORT

The All Whites allege Michael Boxall was abused late in the first half of their game with captain Joe Bell raising the matter with the referee but no action was taken.

The All Whites then refused to take the field in the second half.

New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell said several players heard the comment and he endorses the action taken by the team.

"We fully support the action of our players, who agreed collectively this course of action," he said.

"We never want to see a match abandoned but some issues are bigger than football and it is important to make a stand," he said.

"There is no room for racism in football."

The All Whites led 1-nil when the match was abandoned.

"Apparently two players on the pitch they exchanged words... the New Zealand players decided to support their teammate just as our team decided to support our player," Qatar coach Carlos Queiroz told the Sky TV broadcast.…more

Samoan Quarterback Marcus Mariota who plays for the Atlanta Falcons along with Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins, and reigning Super Bowl champion and MVP Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs give you an unprecedented, all access look into the 2022-2023 football season from their huddles to their homes and more.

Each of the Quarterbacks had a year full of significant ups and downs. Mahomes shattered the record for most offensive yards in a single season, and clinched a Super Bowl victory with his Kansas City Chiefs. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Cousins engineered what could be the greatest comeback in the history of the league. Mariota, meanwhile, joined the Atlanta Falcons for a roller-coaster first season.

Quarterback is a first-of-its kind partnership between the NFL and Netflix, offering unprecedented access to three of the league’s top players. The eight-episode series follows quarterbacks who, for the first time ever, are mic’d up for every single game, from the beginning of the 2022 season to its conclusion.…more