Latest news with #IosefoMasi
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Coach's challenge for Drua to fight through road woes
Fijian Drua coach Glen Jackson has challenged his side to show greater fight on the road after closing their Super Rugby Pacific season with their heaviest defeat. The visitors conceded three tries in 10 minutes while Iosefo Masi was in the sin-bin in the first half on Saturday, effectively ending the contest early as the Queensland Reds cantered to a 52-7 win. It was the Drua's biggest loss of a 4-10 season and capped a winless Super Rugby Pacific campaign away from home. They were a menace on home soil, beating the Reds earlier this month, and came within a try of beating the Hurricanes and Waratahs in their first two away games this season. Moana Pasifika (6-8), who joined the competition in 2022 alongside the Drua, were in the hunt for a finals berth until the final round. There will be departures, with captain and hooker Tevita Ikanivere leaving after playing his 50th game for the club on Saturday. Olympic gold medallist and centre Masi, fullback Selestino Ravutaumada and flyhalf Caleb Muntz are also departing for European clubs. Jackson said that retention wasn't any more of an issue than it was for Australian rugby and that the Drua had the resources to improve again in their fifth season. "We do absolutely; great facilities, great sponsors behind us," he said. "We have got players that when it gets a bit tough, need to fight through that. "We get it at home but unfortunately, away, too often we resort to things that aren't the way we want to play." "We are a young club with a proud rugby history but a lot of these boys haven't experienced winning away. "It's the pressure that continues to build on them. "It showed that when we had a bit of adversity with a sin-bin it seemed like the boys switched off." Reds coach Les Kiss, set to take over as Wallabies coach later next year expects the Drua to become a constant threat under Jackson. "They're dangerous at any given time and with very good coaches, they're not far off on a few things that's for sure," he said. "That's (winning on the road) what they've got to overcome." Fijian Drua coach Glen Jackson has challenged his side to show greater fight on the road after closing their Super Rugby Pacific season with their heaviest defeat. The visitors conceded three tries in 10 minutes while Iosefo Masi was in the sin-bin in the first half on Saturday, effectively ending the contest early as the Queensland Reds cantered to a 52-7 win. It was the Drua's biggest loss of a 4-10 season and capped a winless Super Rugby Pacific campaign away from home. They were a menace on home soil, beating the Reds earlier this month, and came within a try of beating the Hurricanes and Waratahs in their first two away games this season. Moana Pasifika (6-8), who joined the competition in 2022 alongside the Drua, were in the hunt for a finals berth until the final round. There will be departures, with captain and hooker Tevita Ikanivere leaving after playing his 50th game for the club on Saturday. Olympic gold medallist and centre Masi, fullback Selestino Ravutaumada and flyhalf Caleb Muntz are also departing for European clubs. Jackson said that retention wasn't any more of an issue than it was for Australian rugby and that the Drua had the resources to improve again in their fifth season. "We do absolutely; great facilities, great sponsors behind us," he said. "We have got players that when it gets a bit tough, need to fight through that. "We get it at home but unfortunately, away, too often we resort to things that aren't the way we want to play." "We are a young club with a proud rugby history but a lot of these boys haven't experienced winning away. "It's the pressure that continues to build on them. "It showed that when we had a bit of adversity with a sin-bin it seemed like the boys switched off." Reds coach Les Kiss, set to take over as Wallabies coach later next year expects the Drua to become a constant threat under Jackson. "They're dangerous at any given time and with very good coaches, they're not far off on a few things that's for sure," he said. "That's (winning on the road) what they've got to overcome." Fijian Drua coach Glen Jackson has challenged his side to show greater fight on the road after closing their Super Rugby Pacific season with their heaviest defeat. The visitors conceded three tries in 10 minutes while Iosefo Masi was in the sin-bin in the first half on Saturday, effectively ending the contest early as the Queensland Reds cantered to a 52-7 win. It was the Drua's biggest loss of a 4-10 season and capped a winless Super Rugby Pacific campaign away from home. They were a menace on home soil, beating the Reds earlier this month, and came within a try of beating the Hurricanes and Waratahs in their first two away games this season. Moana Pasifika (6-8), who joined the competition in 2022 alongside the Drua, were in the hunt for a finals berth until the final round. There will be departures, with captain and hooker Tevita Ikanivere leaving after playing his 50th game for the club on Saturday. Olympic gold medallist and centre Masi, fullback Selestino Ravutaumada and flyhalf Caleb Muntz are also departing for European clubs. Jackson said that retention wasn't any more of an issue than it was for Australian rugby and that the Drua had the resources to improve again in their fifth season. "We do absolutely; great facilities, great sponsors behind us," he said. "We have got players that when it gets a bit tough, need to fight through that. "We get it at home but unfortunately, away, too often we resort to things that aren't the way we want to play." "We are a young club with a proud rugby history but a lot of these boys haven't experienced winning away. "It's the pressure that continues to build on them. "It showed that when we had a bit of adversity with a sin-bin it seemed like the boys switched off." Reds coach Les Kiss, set to take over as Wallabies coach later next year expects the Drua to become a constant threat under Jackson. "They're dangerous at any given time and with very good coaches, they're not far off on a few things that's for sure," he said. "That's (winning on the road) what they've got to overcome."
RNZ News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 2 May
Firisua competed in the 100 metres sprint at the Paris Olympics. Photo: NOCSI Two Fijian Drua players, earlier stood down because of domestic violence allegations, remain employees of the franchise. Iosefo Masi and Peni Matawalu were taken off the team's match-day lists in the last three weeks. The Fijian Drua said in a statement on Thursday afternoon, it has concluded its investigation into both incidents, and both players remain club employees. The club will not make any further statements, as both cases are going through legal processes. The PNG Hunters have set their sights on getting a second consecutive win at home in round eight of the Hostplus Cup rugby league competition. The Hunters will host the Manly Seagulls on Sunday at the Santos National Football Stadium. Last weekend they beat the Burleigh Bears 22-14. Head coach Paul Aiton has given prop Jacob Lot a chance to debut for the side, in one of the changes he has made to his lineup. The Hunters are currently sitting at sixth spot in the competition after three wins so far, while the Seagulls are three spots ahead of them. Los Angeles is set to host an exciting climax to the international sevens season when the LA Sevens kicks off on Sunday morning NZ time. The top eight men's and women's teams compete in the sevens World Championship, and there is also a playoff for promotion and relegation. The two Fijian men and women's teams are in the main competition, while Samoa's men's team will be playing to win promotion into the main series for next season. Athletics Vanuatu says they still need a lot of money to be able to send 24 athletes to the Pacific Mini Games in Palau, which starts at the end of June. The Vanuatu Dailly Post reported the athletics team needs 1.2 million vatu - around US$10,000. Secretary General David Benjamin said they have not been able to secure any funding, and are reliant on government stepping in at the moment. Solomon Islands' long-distance runner Sharon Firisua has officially announced her retirement from competitive athletics. SIBC reported Firisua has switched to coaching. Firisua said it is time for her to give back to the sport that had given her so much. She has recently been in Melbourne to earn two coaching certificates in athletics. Tahiti's beach football team will meet Chile in their opening match at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Seychelles, on Friday night New Zealand time. The Oceania champions are in group C alongside Chile, Senegal, and Spain. Tahiti has previously finished as World Cup runners-up, when the Tiki Toa finished second at the 2015 and 2017 tournaments. They meet Senegal on Sunday night and Spain in their last match next Tuesday night.
RNZ News
22-04-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Fijian Drua stand down Masi; Matawalu investigated amid domestic violence allegations
Iosefo Masi, left, and Peni Matawalu, right. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport The Fijian Drua says they have "stood down" centre Iosefo Masi and sanctioned half-back Peni Matawalu following allegations of domestic violence probes and charges. RNZ Pacific has contacted Drua chief executive Mark Evans for comment, after news broke in local media. Head of commercial and marketing Shane Hussein said they will not interfere with the judicial process and investigations at the moment Fiji Police say halfback Matawalu is under investigation following allegations of domestic violence last month, with his wife filing an assault complaint. Masi appeared before Magistrate Semi Babitu in a special court sitting at the Nadi Magistrate court last Saturday, with one count of assaulting his partner. Matawalu has not been in the Drua match-day 23 consideration for the past three weeks. Masi was dropped last week, after he was initially named to meet the Waratahs. Both players were part of the initial Drua squad. Masi is expected to be flying to France at the end of the year to join a club there. Drua sacked former player Vinaya Habosi in 2023 for a similar offence. Habosi then left for France later and had appeared for the Flying Fijians at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
