Coco Talanoa — Sports / Page 9

By Thomas Airey

"Keep your head down and go through the ball."

The Queensland rain is now bucketing down as hard as it has all game.

Passionate Fijian fans in the crowd are yelling at the top of their lungs.

It’s sensory overload, a real-life Hollywood moment as Manusina first five eighths Cassie Siataga lines up the penalty kick that would clinch Samoa’s first ever Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship title with time up on the clock.

But all she can focus on are those words she so often heard from her kicking coach at Tasman last year, former Māori All Black halfback Billy Guyton, who tragically died just last month.

“Keep your head down and go through the ball.”

“That’s all I was hearing when I was setting up the tee, when I was looking at the posts, thinking of all the little things he said to me, and he believed in me, so I couldn’t doubt myself,” Siataga said.

“It was having the team in my ear, you’ve gotta do it, you can do it.…more

Vanuatu's population is over 327,000. Today, the nation has just one pro footballer 🇻🇺 His name is Brian Kaltak.

This is the story of his unique journey to the A-Leagues, his own personal cheer squad and how he's become a 'living legend'. And it's guaranteed to make you smile.

By Thomas Airey

Manusina head coach Mata’afa Ramsey Tomokino thinks his team’s historic Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship win can be a game-changing moment for Samoan women’s rugby.

Last Sunday at Bond University in Gold Coast, Australia, Manusina defeated the Fijiana 19-18, ending Fiji’s dominant run in the competition.

The win qualified Samoa for the second tier of World Rugby’s new WXV competition to be played in South Africa at the end of the year.

Tomokino said he couldn’t be prouder of his players and the magnitude of their achievement is yet to fully sink in.

“I just think it’s massive for the girls, how many of them would have gone to South Africa in their lifetime?” he pondered.

Manusina will be joined in WXV 2 by the Springbok Women, Japan, Scotland, Italy or Spain and the lowest ranked team in July’s Pacific Four Series featuring Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and USA.

Tomokino emphasised the importance of more test matches, particularly against opposition from around the world, for the continued growth of his team.…more

By Thomas Law 

“There’s only three common denominators in this country. One is God. Two is Tok Pisin, the language we all speak. Three is rugby league.” So powers the opening voiceover to the Power Meri documentary.

The prominence of rugby league is not in doubt – famously it is the only sovereign nation in the world in which it is the national sport (the only other country to share this accolade is the Cook Islands).

As London Broncos and international prop Wellington Albert puts it, “Every little boy and girl will play around, with a Coca-Cola bottle as a rugby ball sometimes, playing on the backyard or on any field available. We grow up playing rugby league, and that’s where we started falling in love with the greatest game of all.”

His teammate for club and country, Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Waine, echoed that sentiment, particularly the pride fans have for the national team. “When PNG is playing against other nations, the backing in our country, everybody gets behind it and supports it.…more

Welcome to the biggest high school athletics event in the Southern Hemisphere!

This is Fiji's CocaCola Games. A electric event filled with competition, chants and island energy that is unmatched. We kick it with the student athletes, school alumni, cheerleaders and coaches, as they bring to life one of the most lively days in Suva!

Keepin It Fresh brings you all the freshness happening in our Moana communities, from Siva Afi Festivals to Pacific Cabarets.

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CREDITS: 

Director - Elizabeth Koroivulaono

Editor - Laura McBeath

DOP - Hayden Aull

Sound - Felix Biuwale, Elton Varoumue 

Extra Footage - FBC Tv, Fiji TV, MAI TV

Thank you to Lawrence Tikaram & Elton Varoumue 

Written by Va’ai Nah Folasa | Blu TV

Last week the Prime Minister’s Championship tournament was held over 2 days at the St Joseph’s field at Lotopa. The competition drew teams from all educational districts of Samoa.

This year the tournament took a slightly different format with out of town teams being billeted at different host schools where they were provided with accommodation and food for the duration of the competition. This initiative by the Minister for Education saved parents of players the cost of hotel accommodation and also meant that the teams were housed together and cared for by fellow schools.

Blu-wave has reported this event as part of its presentations last week. However, one story has come to light which captures the spirit not only of this school boy competition, but of rugby Samoa.

Pitone Asafo is a 12 year old boy from the village of Falealupo, Savaii.  Proud son of Asafo and Nina, young Pitone was the winger for the U14 team for the District of Itu Asau which eventually won the Spoon.…more

Life changing Moments ...

“With the 54th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chargers select Tuli Tuipulotu”

He was the first of our Pasifika players to be drafted this year and his cousin Anna Vea has shared a glimpse behind the scenes as Tuli and his family gather to hear his name called.

He was joined by 49ers Safety Talanoa Hufanga, his older brother Marlon (who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles), parents, grandma and other famili.

After his name was called the family gathered for a himi and lotu to give thanks. We love to see it.

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Photos & Video from Anna Vea 

The 2023 NFL draft went down this weekend from the 28th - 30th April NZT and it was a historic weekend for Pasifika players with ten players of Pasifika heritage drafted into the National Football League.  Check out all of their profiles below - 

Keilani Mayo and Queenie Taua'a are Digital Content creators for Island City Media Group in the USA and joined Penina at the beginning of the weekend to help break down the 2023 NFL draft.

This year looked to have had the largest group of Pasifika athletes who declared for the draft (peep the list in Polynesian Music X Island City's post below) so the ladies gave us their mock drafts on who they think may get picked up in the first 3 rounds, their tips for watching & what happens to players who don't get picked up in the draft ...…more

Samoan NFL player Marcus Mariota was drafted in the 2015 NFL draft - the second overall pick in the first round by the Tennessee Titans. 

He made history becoming the highest drafted NFL player of Pasifika heritage ever.

The second highest drafted Polynesian was Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson who was the first quarterback selected in the 1979 NFL Draft, taken third overall by the Cincinnati Bengals, and played there for four years, which included the Super Bowl season in 1981.

Fellow Quaterback Tua Tagovailoa and Hall of Fame Linebacker Junior Seau are the third highest drafted NFL players both beeing drafted with the fifth overall pick in the first round.

Here we take a look back at his draft day with the family ...

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Beats by Dre worked with Marcus who was predicted to be selected early in the draft and in the days leading up to the draft they showed a side of Mariota's personal life in his hometown that most people don't get to see.…more