Latest news with #PacificNationsCup


BBC News
7 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Samoa call up one-cap England back Umaga
Former Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga, who was capped by England in 2021, has been called up by Samoa for the first 26-year-old moved to Italian side Benetton Treviso when Wasps went bust in 2022, helping them to finish 10th in the United Rugby Championship this initially brought into former coach Eddie Jones' England squad as an apprentice player during the 2020 Six Nations, came off the bench to win his only senior cap in the 43-29 win over the United States in July 2021.A change to World Rugby's rules in 2022 allows players to represent a second nation at international level after three years out of the Test was born in Halifax after his father Mike, a Samoa international, moved to England to play rugby league. Mike later switched codes to play union for Umaga, the legendary New Zealand centre, is Jacob's is part of a 35-strong squad that will prepare for Samoa's July Test against Scotland in Auckland, New Zealand, and August's Pacific Nations Cup campaign.

The Age
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Nine Entertainment secures broadcast rights for three more Rugby World Cups
Nine Entertainment has solidified its standing as the home of rugby by landing broadcast rights to three more World Cups, including a blockbuster home men's tournament in Australia in 2027. World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson confirmed the new broadcast deal with Nine and Stan Sport at a media conference at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Monday morning. Nine and Stan Sport, Rugby Australia's broadcast partners until 2030, will show the men's 2027 World Cup in Australia, as well as the two women's showpiece events in 2025 and 2029. Australia hasn't hosted a men's World Cup since 2003, a tournament where England star Jonny Wilkinson kicked a drop goal to sink the Wallabies in the final. Wallabies and Wallaroos matches at the tournaments will be on free-to-air television on the Nine Network and 9Now. Stan Sport will show every match of each World Cup. 'This landmark partnership is all about reigniting the love of rugby Down Under,' Robinson said. 'With Nine's unmatched reach, expert analysis and comprehensive coverage across its broadcast and digital platforms, we are ensuring rugby is accessible to a wide audience and offering a unique and immersive destination for fans in the country.' The deal also includes the World Rugby Sevens Series, Pacific Nations Cup, WXV tournaments and World Rugby U20 Championship. Nine chief executive Matt Stanton said: 'The Rugby World Cup agreement reinforces the power of Nine. Whether it's streaming on 9Now or Stan Sport, watching at home on the Nine Network, listening on radio or getting the analysis across our publishing mastheads, Nine can bring the game to Australian audiences like no other media company can.

Sydney Morning Herald
12-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Nine Entertainment secures broadcast rights for three more Rugby World Cups
Nine Entertainment has solidified its standing as the home of rugby by landing broadcast rights to three more World Cups, including a blockbuster home men's tournament in Australia in 2027. World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson confirmed the new broadcast deal with Nine and Stan Sport at a media conference at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Monday morning. Nine and Stan Sport, Rugby Australia's broadcast partners until 2030, will show the men's 2027 World Cup in Australia, as well as the two women's showpiece events in 2025 and 2029. Australia hasn't hosted a men's World Cup since 2003, a tournament where England star Jonny Wilkinson kicked a drop goal to sink the Wallabies in the final. Wallabies and Wallaroos matches at the tournaments will be on free-to-air television on the Nine Network and 9Now. Stan Sport will show every match of each World Cup. 'This landmark partnership is all about reigniting the love of rugby Down Under,' Robinson said. 'With Nine's unmatched reach, expert analysis and comprehensive coverage across its broadcast and digital platforms, we are ensuring rugby is accessible to a wide audience and offering a unique and immersive destination for fans in the country.' The deal also includes the World Rugby Sevens Series, Pacific Nations Cup, WXV tournaments and World Rugby U20 Championship. Nine chief executive Matt Stanton said: 'The Rugby World Cup agreement reinforces the power of Nine. Whether it's streaming on 9Now or Stan Sport, watching at home on the Nine Network, listening on radio or getting the analysis across our publishing mastheads, Nine can bring the game to Australian audiences like no other media company can.

RNZ News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 12 May
Fiji won the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup final in Japan. Photo:In a major step forward for rugby in North America, the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 finals will be hosted on US soil for the first time. World Rugby has announced the matches, which will also decide three teams to go to the 2027 World Cup, will be played in Denver and Salt Lake City. World Rugby said the final series in September is structured to ensure teams playing across the two weekends offer both competitive clarity and consistent exposure. Qualification for the 2027 World Cup will be a battle between Samoa, Tonga, USA and Canada, with the best three finishers advancing to the world meet. A number of international stars have signed up to play in the world's first franchise-based sevens league. The Indian Rugby Premier League competition will kick off in June and will run for two weeks. Rugby India and GMR Sports have announced that the tournament will take place in Mumbai from 1 June 1 to 15 June. RPL will feature selected international players, teaming up with India's rugby talents, in the six different franchise clubs. Oceania Football's executive committee has confirmed the hosts and dates for all OFC competitions in 2026. OFC said 2026 will see the conclusion of the Oceania qualifiers for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027, as well as OFC men's and women's Champions' Leagues, and the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup. The World Cup qualifiers will be held in Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Zealand. The OFC Women's Champions League returns to Solomon Islands while the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup is scheduled for Tahiti. Vanuatu Football has partnered with the Christchurch United Football Club in a move aimed at supporting football growth and creating pathways for young talents from the Pacific island nation. United General Manager, Ryan Edwards, has been in Port Vila meeting with federation officials and stakeholders. In a joint statement the clubs said the partnership is the result of months of discussions. Edwards said the recent games between the All Whites and Vanuatu showed there is so much talent in Vanuatu and the other island nations, but most of those talents never get the opportunity to reach their potential. Tahiti''s men's beach soccer team returned winless from the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. The team lost their last pool matches against Spain, going down 8-3, in the Seychelles. They had lost 7-6 to Chile and 6-3 to Senegal respectively, in their earlier pool matches.

AU Financial Review
12-05-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Nine locks in Rugby World Cup deal
Nine Entertainment and its streaming service Stan will broadcast the men's and women's rugby World Cup tournaments in Australia under a long-term deal designed to cement the media company as the home of the sport. The deal, which runs until 2029, also hands Nine the broadcast rights to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup.