Latest news with #Tonga
IOL News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Rugby World Cup 1995 I On this day: Tragedy, triumph and turmoil in dramatic third round
Former Springbok James Dalton was one of several players sent off during the Battle of Boet Erasmus on this day at the Rugby World Cup 1995. Photo: AFP Image: AFP The third round of the 1995 Rugby World Cup began in tragedy. The match between Tonga and Ivory Coast had barely kicked off when Ivorian wing Max Brito collected a high ball. He was tackled fairly, but following the ensuing ruck, Brito was left prone on his back. He had been paralysed in a freak accident. It remains the darkest day in the history of the Rugby World Cup. Brito was quickly airlifted to hospital, but the damage was permanent. He would spend 25 years in a wheelchair before passing away in 2022 at the age of 54. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The match itself was otherwise forgettable, as the two teams fought to avoid finishing bottom of their pool. The West Africans showed improvement from their opening game, where they at times appeared unfamiliar with the rules. The more experienced Tongans were always in control and secured a 29–11 victory. The match was played in Rustenburg in front of about 8 000 local fans, who passionately supported the underdogs. When Ivorian flanker Alfred Okou scored his team's try, the celebration was so intense it felt as if they had won the game. The Australia vs Romania fixture was the first international played in Stellenbosch. The venue was selected in honour of South African rugby legend Danie Craven, who lived there for many years and passed away in 1993. The Wallabies wore striking green jerseys with yellow hoops to avoid a colour clash with Romania's yellow kit. They also used the match as an opportunity to give their backup players a run. Among them were future Australian rugby legends George Gregan, John Eales, David Wilson, Matthew Burke, Tim Horan, and Joe Roff — players who would form the core of the Wallabies' 1999 World Cup-winning side. They proved too strong for the Romanians, who conceded six tries in a 42–3 defeat, with flying wing Joe Roff scoring twice. One of the tournament's best matches took place at Loftus Versfeld between France and Scotland. Dubbed 'The Eliminator', the clash carried high stakes: the loser would face the formidable All Blacks in the quarter-final. The match had the intensity of a knockout fixture and was only decided in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The Scots had been leading 19–15 and were desperate for referee Wayne Erickson to blow the final whistle — only for French wing Émile Ntamack to score after a prolonged siege in the Scottish 22. It was the final movement of the match. Scottish hearts were broken, but they had missed their chances earlier. The usually reliable goal-kicker Gavin Hastings endured a nightmare with the boot, a stark contrast to the precision of French centre Thierry Lacroix. It was a brutal contest between the Six Nations rivals — France's Philippe Benetton (No 8) and scrum-half Guy Accoceberry both suffered broken arms. France edged it 22–19, with Lacroix kicking five penalties and converting Ntamack's try. Scotland flanker Rob Wainwright scored his side's sole try.
RNZ News
18 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 3 June
The Fijiana opened their 2025 season with a game against the Wallaroos. Photo: FRU Media Fiji rugby veterans are returning to the Fijiana 15s team for the 2025 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. The Fijiana 15s enter this year's tournament as defending champions. FBC reported the returnees include Bitila Tawake, Rusila Nagasau, Asinate Serevi, Iris Verebalavu, and Jade Coates. The tournament will again see Fiji face off against traditional Pacific rivals Tonga and Samoa, serving as a build-up to the women's Rugby World Cup. The first Rugby World Club Cup will be held in 2028. The competition will see 16 teams taking part, with eight qualifying through the Investec Champions Cup and the remainder from Super Rugby and Japan. The BBC reported European Professional Club Rugby chairman Dominic McKay has confirmed the plans. The existing Champions Cup, with teams from England, France, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, South Africa and Italy, will continue. The Fiji Rakavi Football Union Ltd, the company that now manages Fiji Rugby, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Rugby Football Association (CRFA). FRU board chairman John Sanday said the MOU was signed in Beijing between FRU trustees board representative Jenny Seeto and the CRFA president Wang Yun. Sanday said the agreement will help boost rugby in both countries, with focus on rugby academies, youth exchanges and high-performance programs. Australia and New Zealand have confirmed their teams for the Pacific Mini Games in Palau. Twenty athletes have been selected to represent Australia in the athletics competition, which is set down for 4-9 July in Koror. Nine weighlifters will represent New Zealand, led by Olympian David Liti. The Games, which will feature athletes from 24 Pacific nations across 12 sports, will officially open on 29 June. Meanwhile, the chairman of the organising commitee said the event will be declared 'drug, alcohol and tobacco free'. Vanuatu's women's beach volleyball players, Majabelle Lawac and Shersyn Toko, have returned home with a bronze medal from the FIVB Volleyball Pro Tour Challenge in China, held last month. The duo defeated China 2-1 in the play-off for third position at the event. That win came after earlier competition in other international beach volleyball events in Vietnam and the Phillipines.
ABC News
19 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Can the age-old solution of seawalls protect the Pacific against climate change?
On the program today Pacific Islands are turning to the age-old solution of seawalls as a source of hope to curb sea level rising. Vanuatu's Supreme Court delivers a landmark ruling in favour of the Vanuatu Teachers Union. The dollar figure for the Pacific kava market is revealed at the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry in Tonga. A litigation fund is signed to pay $60 million in damages over a 2019 oil spill in the Solomon Islands. A long-running project brings closure to families of the Bougainville civil war. And Samoan boxer Jai Opetaia eyes off all the major belts in his weight division.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Dragons recruit Tonga centre Paea
Tonga centre Fetuli Paea will join Dragons this summer after agreeing a move from Italian side Zebre 30-year-old has been capped 12 times by his country and becomes the Welsh regional side's ninth new signing for the 2025-26 who joined Zebre in 2023 from New Zealand side Highlanders, said his aim is "to put myself in a position where I'm able to continue to learn and gain more experience".Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia said: "We are excited that Fetuli will be joining us at Dragons this summer."He's a very talented centre who has played international rugby for Tonga and Super Rugby for Crusaders and the Highlanders. He'll bring a wealth of experience to the group."Fetuli is a player I've followed closely for some time. He has good footwork pre-contact, is a gain-line winner and will be eager to bring success to our club."
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Palau president wants Taiwan to get a fair go at PIF
President Surangel Whipps Jr. at his first state visit to Taiwan in May 2025 after the inauguration of his second term. Photo: Supplied/ Office of the President Palau's president wants to see Taiwan given full access at this year's Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' meeting. It was great to see 17 out of 18 leaders in Tonga for last year's meeting, Surangel Whipps Jr said - a sense of unity he wants to continue. "That's the record since we've gotten back together. Let's ensure that that continues, because that's what we need to see." He said he has heard that "there's been some difficulty in Taiwan gaining access". Whipps asked the PIF team to make sure they are doing all that it's responsible to do, to make sure the forum conference is a success, and everybody's there that's supposed to be able to participate. A Solomon Islands Government spokesperson said at this stage the government is not in a position to comment on participation or related arrangements for the PIF Leaders' Summit. They pointed out that the registration process for the summit has not yet opened and formal invitations will be issued in due course. "As host, Solomon Islands continues to work closely with the Forum Secretariat and Forum Member countries on all preparations." Whipps has just arrived back from a state visit to Taiwan, where its foreign minister Lin Chia-lung expressed his country's appreciation for Palau's consistent support on the international stage. Three Forum members - Tuvalu, Palau and Marshall Islands - have diplomatic ties with Taiwan and not China. Taiwan has been a development partner since 1992. China has been a dialogue partner of the PIF since 1990. Last year, RNZ Pacific captured China's representative to the meeting in Tonga asking Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown to change the final communique which recognised Taiwan and China separately. Earlier this month, Solomon Islands' prime minister Jeremiah Manele warned government workers against engaging with "Taiwan". In a statement, Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed his government's commitment to the One-China Policy. The ABC reported a newly appointed government minister was pressured by China to quit an international group critical of its policies. Beijing's Embassy in Honiara said the allegations are baseless. It said China will never interfere in Solomon Islands internal affairs and also firmly oppose any other countries' interference in Solomon Islands' internal affairs. The president of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau, and top diplomats from Niue, Tonga, Nauru, Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Fiji and Samoa have been in China for a two-day meeting. In a joint statement, published to the website of China's foreign affairs ministry, the parties said: "All parties recognize that there is but one China in the world, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. "China firmly opposes 'Taiwan independence' in all forms and commits to realizing national reunification, which has gained wide understanding and support at the meeting. "China firmly supports Pacific Island countries in upholding their sovereignty and independence." Meanwhile, a regional architecture review (RRA) has entered its final stage. It's the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' response to the increasing interest from a growing number of Forum dialogue partners wanting a seat - and a say - at the regional decision-making table. Palau's president has made it clear to the RRA committee that, "it is important that all our partners are able to be present at PIF".
