Pacific

Sports news in brief for August 2

09:22 am on 2 August 2023

Tonga's Hulita Veve (centre) and Uneeq Palavi during the Netball World Cup pool A match between Tonga and Zimbabwe Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images/Netball World Cup 2023

Netball - World Cup

The Tonga Tala have got back on the winning trail in the Netball World Cup in South Africa by beating lower-ranked Scotland 55-47.

The Tala slumped to a 72-46 defeat to one of the title favourites England in their first match of the second stage of pool play.

Unique Palavi had another strong game, shooting 41 goals from 43 attempts.

She has 186 goals so far, two behind Australia's Sophie Garbin.

Fiji meanwhile, lost 89-28 to England in Cape Town.

Both teams have a rest day on Wednesday local time.

Rugby - Vanuatu

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau has told the country's rugby players to avoid consuming too much kava.

Kalsakau made the comments during a speech at the end of the country's domestic rugby competition on Monday.

He told the rugby players to raise the standard of Vanuatu rugby.

Vanuatu is currently ranked 108th according to World Rugby.

Rugby - Samoa

The Australia Pacific Training Coalition has joined forces with the Samoa Rugby Union to help with life after rugby for the nation's elite players.

The training agreement aims to help players and personnel secure a trade to support them and their families during and after their rugby careers.

Faleomavaega Vincent Fepulea'i, the CEO of the union said the agreement highlights a missing gap they had anticipated for those enrolled in the performance academy and for staff.

Futsal - Oceania Cup

Reigning champions New Zealand have been drawn against Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga in Group A of the men's Oceania Futsal Nations Cup

Group B contains Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Tahiti and Samoa

The competition, which will be played in Auckland from October 1-7, will see eight nations compete, with the winner qualifying for the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup, to be played in Uzbekistan.

Football - Olympic qualifiers

American Samoa has withdrawn from the Oceania men's football Olympic qualifier.

The tournament will take place from August 27 to September 9, in Auckland.

American Samoa had originally been drawn in Group A, alongside New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji - this group will now comprise three teams.

Pacific Games - Aotearoa

Double Olympian Nin Roberts has been appointed Chef de Mission of the New Zealand team for the Solomon Islands 2023 Pacific Games.

Roberts, who earned 145 caps for the New Zealand women's hockey side, will lead a team of around 40 athletes from sports including archery, athletics, boxing, karate, para table tennis, rugby league nines, and weightlifting.

Youth Games - Niue

Niue has a four-member team travelling to the 7th Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago from August 4-11.

The four athletes are Gadiel Tukuitoga, McFitu Makaniue, Hikuleo Lui-Ikiua and Ramsi Edwards.