Pacific

Sports news in brief for January 12

16:12 pm on 12 January 2024

Russia head coach and former Fiji Sevens legend Waisale Serevi issues instructions during the Hong Kong Qualifier. Photo: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby

Fiji - Serevi

Former Flying Fijian Waisale Serevi has confirmed he is interested in being part of the Flying Fijians and Fijiana coaching team.

Serevi said he wants to help out with either team and give back to rugby what the sport had given him.

Both coaching jobs are vacant.

Serevi played for the Flying Fijians and the Fiji sevens team in a career that spanned almost 20 years.

He currently lives in the USA and is a full-time rugby coach.

Papua New Guinea - win

The Papua New Guineas Pepe netball team have made it two-out-of-two so far at the Hong Kong Four Nations netball tournament, following their win over hosts Hong Kong on Thursday night.

PNG Pepes won the match 60-36.

Captain Jeperth Tulapi and her assistant Michaela Kadlecek led the side in the win.

PNG Netball says the win keeps the team's hopes alive of qualifying for the final on Sunday.

The Pepes had defeated the Phillipines 55-36 in their first game on Wednesday.

They meet Brunei in their last round robin game on Friday.

Tonga/Papua New Guinea - sevens

Tonga and Papua New Guinea kick start their campaigns to win a spot in the annual HSBC Sevens World Series in Dubai this weekend when they compete in the first round of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series.

The tournament starts on Friday with finals scheduled for Sunday.

Tonga is pooled with Japan, Chile and Portugal in Pool B.

Papua New Guinea is in Pool A with Uruguay, Hong Kong and Georgia.

Tonga - rugby

The inaugural Tonga women's rugby tournament kicked -off in Nuku'alofa on Friday.

The Tonga women's rugby committee confirmed the event will feature open and under-16 teams.

There are teams from Australia, New Zealand and the US joining island teams from 'Eua, Ha'apai, Vava'u and Tongatapu.

Players pariticipating at the event will be fighting also for selection into the Tongan national women's rugby teams in both the open and Under-16 grades.

Fiji - Rauluni

Former Flying Fijians Mosese Rauluni has been named as the new head coach of the Fijiana Drua preparing to defend their Super Rugby title in a month's time.

Rauluni was selected from applicants who had applied for the top job, advertised by the Fiji Rugby Union and Counter Ruck Limited.

He replaces fellow former Flying Fijian Inoke Male who did not re-apply for the position.

The Fijian Drua confirmed Rauluni's appointment in Nadi on Thursday and also announced the appointment of two other new team officials in Selita Koroi and Akanisi Drausuna.

Vanuatu - A-League

Two Vanuatu football players have joined the Adelaide-based Western Strikers Football Club in the A-League competition.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reported on Wednesday Azariah Soromon and Jeffrey Tasso have left for Australia.

Vanuatu Football Federation's Lambert Maltock said the two players will be with the club until June before they return to play for Vanuatu in the Oceania Nations Cup tournament.

Maltock said the success story of Vanuatu's Brian Kaltak playing for the Central Coast Marines in Australia is an encouragement to players like Soromon and Tasso.

Fiji - hockey

The Fiji Sports Commission has given FJ$102,000 in grant money to the Fiji Hockey Federation to support the Fijian teams to the Hockey 5s World Cup campaign.

FBC Sports confirmed the grant signing was carried out in Suva on Tuesday.

Fiji Hockey had qualified in both the men's and women's divisions to be at the World Cup in Oman from 25 January.

Both teams finished third at the Oceania qualifiers in Australia in late 2023.