Latest news with #IoanCunningham
RNZ News
17 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 9 June
The Fijiana women's rugby team kicked off their campaign at the Oceania Rugby Women's Challenge with a 59-5 win over Tonga in Sigatoka. Photo: Ridiqiulas Photography The Fijiana women's rugby team kicked off their campaign at the Oceania Rugby Women's Challenge with a 59-5 win over Tonga in Sigatoka on Friday afternoon. Defending the title at home, the Fijians took a 30-0 lead at halftime. Fiji's head coach, Ioan Cunningham, expressed pride in his team's performance, particularly under the challenging ground conditions at Lawaqa Park. He also praised the impact of the five debutants. Tonga will meet Samoa on Tuesday in the second game of the tournament. Meanwhile, in the Oceania Under-20 Rugby Challenge, the Fiji under-20s team retained their title for another year when they swept through the event undefeated. Fiji will host Samoa and Australia in a tri-nation international boxing event at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva at the end of June. FBC reports the Fiji Amateur Boxing head coach Cam Todd confirmed a team of 30 boxers from Australia and a 10-member squad from Samoa will be competing. The event will feature boxers in the 12 to 19-year-old bracket, in both the male and female categories. Todd said the Australian team features several state champions and elite-level fighters. Team Samoa are currently seeking more funding to make their trip possible. Independent Boxing Samoa Incorporated president Tavui Mike Lemisio said while they have received assistance from the Samoa Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, it's not enough. The Samoa Observer reported the team needs the funding to pay off their airfares, accommodation and other expenses. Former New Zealand sevens and Hurricanes player Salesi Rayasi has been named in the Flying Fijians extended squad for upcoming international matches in July. Rayasi, who played 50 games for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby, signed a two-year deal with French club Vannes last year. Fijians' head coach Mick Byrne has named him in the squad to prepare for matches against the Wallabies and Scotland. The squad includes Hawke's Bay scrum half Sam Wye, some players from the Fijian Drua team and a number of players playing in Europe. The draw has been made for the FIFA under-20 World Cup which includes Oceania qualifiers New Zealand and New Caledonia. OFC champions New Zealand are in group A, alongside hosts Chile, Japan and Egypt. Second qualifier New Caledonia will make its tournament debut and face USA, France and South Africa in Group E. The tournament, which will start in late September, will see matches played in four different cities across Chile. The inaugural six-team Rugby Premier League 7s is set to debut in India from 15 to 29 June. A number of international sevens stars have been named in the six franchise teams, including some from Fiji and New Zealand. Rahul Bose, President of Rugby India, said the event will be a game-changer for rugby in India, and fans can expect nothing less than world-class rugby action that will inspire the next generation of athletes in the country. The Fiji national women's football team scored a 3-1 win over Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby in the team's final international friendly. FBC reported PNG drew first blood through Marie Kaipu, who gave the home side an early lead. But Fijian striker Cema Nasau scored a hat-trick to give her team the win. Both sides now shift their focus to the 2025 OFC Women's Nations Cup, which will be held at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
BBC News
17-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Women's Six Nations 2025: How to follow Wales on the BBC
BBC Wales will offer comprehensive coverage of Wales' progress in the 2025 Women's Six go into the tournament with renewed optimism after last year's disappointing campaign saw them finish bottom of the table. Sean Lynn has been appointed the new head coach following Ioan Cunningham's departure in November, with Hannah Jones once again leading the to seeing the season through with Gloucester-Hartpury, Lynn will have precious little time to prepare the team for their opener against Scotland on 22 March. Wales head to Edinburgh looking to avenge last year's defeat in Cardiff while also laying down a marker for the summer's Rugby World Cup, with both sides drawn in Pool return to Cardiff on 29 March as they host defending Grand Slam champions England in front of what they hope will be a record-breaking crowd for a women's game at the Principality Stadium.A trip to Brive follows on 12 April to take on another of the world's leading women's sides in France, before facing a high-flying Ireland side at Newport's Rodney Parade on 20 round-off their campaign, as they did in 2023, with a trip to Parma to take on Italy on 26 April, the only side they beat in last year's can watch every Wales game live on BBC One or BBC Two Wales, as well as on BBC you are out and about, you can listen to live commentary on BBC Radio Wales and Radio will also be previews and reaction on the weekly Scrum V podcast, with all the big stories and talking points on the BBC Sport Wales website and app, and via our social media channels:BBC Sport Wales on Instagram, externalBBC Scrum V on Instagram, externalBBC Sport Wales on Facebook, externalBBC Sport Wales on X, externalBBC Scrum V on X, external
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ex-Wales coach Cunningham takes charge of Fiji Women
Former Wales Women head coach Ioan Cunningham will take charge of Fiji Women at this summer's Rugby World Fijiana XV are in the same group as Wales for August's tournament in England, along with Scotland and 42, resigned as Wales Women's head coach in November after a turbulent year on and off the are ranked 16th in World Rugby's rankings and Fiji Rugby says Cunningham will bring "fresh ideas and depth in planning, along with an understanding of northern hemisphere rugby".The Welshman expressed excitement for his new role."The potential of this group is huge, and I am excited and honoured to be given this opportunity to work with the team and represent Fiji," said Cunningham."It is a very important year in women's rugby, and I look forward to unlocking the talent within this team." Cunningham was appointed Wales Women's head coach in 2021 and a year later led them to their best finish in the Six Nations for 13 also took the side to a World Cup quarter-final in 2022, before losing to New Wales registered only four wins in 11 Tests in 2024 and Cunningham was involved during difficult contract negotiations with senior players, after which the Welsh Rugby Union admitted serious left by mutual agreement after three years at the helm, having originally been contracted to lead Wales at the World Cup where he will now come face-to-face with his former players."Ioan is a professional coach who has been in the women's game for several years," said Fiji Rugby women's high performance manager Alana Thomas."He will bring strong leadership and direction to the team and work to unlock the talent we have in this squad in what is a very exciting year for the Vodafone Fijiana XV with the Rugby World Cup ahead of us."
