Pasifika Sipoti weekend wrap | RNZ News

Moana wins second game

Moana Pasifika gave head coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga a present to mark his 50th game as a Super Rugby coach when they defeated the Western Force 22-14 in Perth.

It was also their first win over the WA-based franchise and their second of the season, improving on their tally from last year.

Fa’alogo’s side took a 12-7 lead at halftime.

Young winger and Tongan international Kyren Taumoefolau scored what was the game’s best try when he curved his way through the Force’s backline to score untouched after a set move in the second half.

The Force were left to rue a series of missed opportunities early in the match.

Moana hooker Sama Malolo opened the scoring in the 17th minute when he barged over for a try.

Veteran Sekope Kepu also scored a try in the win, while his former wallabies team-mate Christian Leali’ifano directed play from flyhalf and kicked two conversions.

Drua men mess up

The Fijian Drua messed up three try-scoring opportunities against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night and were beaten 41-29.

Handling errors and bad decisions saw the Drua outfit miss two consecutive scoring opportunities in the first spell after the forwards drove towards the Chiefs’ line.

Then in the second half, winger Junior Ratuva dropped the ball after numerous phases put in by the forward pack.

The Chiefs took control with tries of their own, stamping their mark even at the final whistle.

The Chiefs led 24-17 at halftime and finished strongly when replacement Kemu Valetini scored in the corner in the last seconds of the game, after he received a well-timed lobbed pass from replacement halfback Peni Matawalu.

Flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula played another strong game for the Drua outfit.

The Drua will now face the Waratahs in Lautoka on Saturday.

Fijiana opens with a bang

The Fijiana Drua kicked off their defense of the Super W Championship title with a 32-21 win over the Reds in Brisbane on Sunday afternoon.

Having led 10-7 at halftime, the Drua side turned on the pressure in the second spell and did enough to hold on until the final whistle.

The defending champions turned on their offloading game and captain Karalaini Naisewa said that constantly threatened the Reds’ line.

“Just our structure game, sticking to our structure and playing the Fijiana game – that is offloading and going forward,” she told media after the game.

“Thank you to all the supporters back at home who have been cheering for us and supporting us all the way.”

The Ballymore Stadium clash saw the Reds take an early lead with former Drua player Noreen Narokete helping to put Tiarna Molloy over for the hosts’ first try in the 16th minute.

Teresia Tinaivalu and Merewairita Neivosa scored the Drua’s replies in the first half for them to take the lead going into the break.

Adita Milinia set up Vani Arei in the 42nd minute and Drua took the lead 15-7, before Ana Korovata broke through the Reds’ defense to extend their lead to 22-7.

Sulita Waisega and Neivosa also added their names to the scoresheet, despite the Reds coming back into the game with two tries of their own.

The Fijiana Drua will face the Waratahs in Lautoka on Saturday in round two.

OFC Women’s Champions League semis confirmed

Fiji’s Labasa women’s football team face Papua New Guinea champions Hekari United in the semi-finals of the OFC Women’s Champions League in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Wednesday.

The other will feature Auckland United from New Zealand against Vanuatu’s Tafea.

The semi-finalists were confirmed following matches played on Friday and Saturday in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Labasa qualified after they held defending champions AS Academy Féminine scoreless in a pool clash on Saturday.

After their heavy defeat to Auckland United, holders AS Academy Féminine needed a big result against Labasa Women FC to have a chance of retaining their crown, while Labasa just needed a point to make the semi-finals and improve on their own finish from last year.

The match ended as the tournament’s first goalless game – a result that was welcomed by Labasa, who advanced to the last four, but AS Academy Féminine’s title defence comes to an end.

Auckland United secured their semi-final spot after a tough clash against Tonga’s Veitongo, managing to win 1-0 in the end.

The New Zealand champions just needed a point to confirm their place in the last four.

Auckland United spent much of the opening 15 minutes camped out in Veitongo’s half without seriously threatening the Tongan side, as the new-look starting XI felt their way into the match, trying to work a way through Veitongo’s low block.

Auckland did find their breakthrough via Poppy O’Brien, who scored after a corner just before the half-hour mark.

Hekari United confirmed their place in the semi-finals with a 5-0 victory over Cook Islands’ Avatiu FC in wet conditions in Honiara on Friday.

The Papua New Guinea champions struck early through captain Marie Kaipu, who wrong footed Avatiu captain Susan Williams, cutting the ball onto her left foot and curling the ball from just inside the penalty area in the seventh minute.

Hekari continued to apply pressure to Avatiu’s defence and led 3-0 at half time.

Kaipu scored again in the second half, tapping in from close range in the 51st minute as the Avatiu defence failed to clear from the danger zone.

She narrowly missed securing her hat-trick two minutes later, shooting wide after being released by Michaelyne Butubu.

With an eye on knockout football, Ericson Komeng began to cycle his wider squad into the game, first withdrawing goalscorer Anashtasia Gunemba and then replacing goalkeeper Fidelma Watpore with Zaire Kuyae for her first appearance of the tournament – although she had very little to do.

Hekari have only conceded via a penalty so far in the tournament.

Vanuatu’s Tafea FC ended local side Henderson Eels’ hopes of a semi-final spot with a 3-0 win on Friday.

The ni-Vanuatuans were the first out the gate and took the lead after just six minutes, as Leimata Simon galloped into the Henderson Eels’ penalty area and cut back to Diana Sine, who stayed onside to tap in from three yards.

Sine then drew a foul, from which Jane Alatoa doubled her side’s lead, curling a free kick through the arms of Betty Sade in the Eels’ goal to put Tafea in control.

Alatoa was a composed, slick presence throughout the match, with most of Tafea’s attacking opportunities traced back to her close control and canny decision-making.

Henderson finished the half stronger than they started but were still unable to unlock Tafea’s defence.

Heavy rainfall arrived as the second period began and it seemed to suit the Eels, disrupting Tafea’s preference for keeping the ball on the deck.

Tafea scored a third, with Elma Aiviji taking advantage of a half-cleared corner to drill the ball home and all but secure a semi-final place for her team.

Rugby league

The Kaiviti Silktails head coach Wais Naiqama said he is proud of his players’ performance against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NSWRL Jersey Flegg Cup, despite their 20-14 loss in Lautoka on Saturday.

Speaking to FBC Sports after the game, Naiqama said the team achieved most of the things they planned to do during the match.

“We completed 92 per cent of what we planned and the message at halftime was to stick to the game plan.

“We came away with it in the last 10-15 minutes and yes crazy efforts from everyone. “

The Silktails will now meet the Dragons this coming weekend.

• Funding for league in PNG

The Australian Government is putting A$9.7 million into Papua New Guinea rugby league.

This will support the development of a national women’s competition and a new women’s talent identification program.

The four-year commitment will be delivered by PacificAus Sport in partnership with the Queensland Rugby League and working closely with the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League.

PacificAus Sports said the funding will help build the capacity and credentials of PNGRFL coaches, support staff and administrators, benefitting both the women’s and men’s game.

Weightlifting

• Commonwealth Games medallist dies

Samoa’s first-ever Commonwealth Games medallist has died.

Weightlifter Seiuli Paul Wallwork died after a long illness, aged 82.

Newsline Samoa Online reports he won silver at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games.

Seiuli was also the first director of the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture, before it merged with the Ministry of Education.

In 1987 he was appointed to the International Olympic Committee, and in 1991 he was elected President of the South Pacific Games Council.

He was also a teacher and a former principal of Avele College.

Suva continued their winning run in the Fiji Rugby Union Skipper Cup competition on Saturday, this time defeating Northerners Macuata 34-16.

The capital city senior team did enough in the rain to claim their fourth win in the season.

Other results

Skipper Cup – Senior

Nadroga 22 Ba 16

Tailevu 17 Yasawa 10

Under-20: Lautoka 17 Namosi 8

Tailevu 25 Yasawa 7

Nadroga 18 Ba 18

Women – Marama Cup/Senior

Suva 31 Nasinu 14

Namosi 13 Lautoka 12

Yasawa 48 Tailevu 0

Under-20

Tailevu 59 Yasawa 12

Vanua Cup – Men/Senior

Ra 9 Taveuni 7

Under-20

Taveuni 20 Ra 15

-Send your weekend sports results to be included in Pasifika Sipoti’s weekly update from around the region published every Monday. Email to: iliesa.tora@rnz.co.nz