The Fiji Times

Bati named; Sims, Saifiti brothers and Blake miss out

The Sims brothers and the Saifiti twins were the big names missing from the Vodafone Fiji Bati Rugby League World Cup squad named by head coach Josaia Rabele in England yesterday. The Fiji Bati’s first game is against Australia on October 15. Korbin Sims, who is playing in the Super League for Hull KR and brother Tariq,...

Games-Golf, BMX, coastal rowing to debut at 2026 Commonwealth Games

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Golf, BMX and coastal rowing will make their Commonwealth Games debuts when Australia’s southern state of Victoria hosts the 2026 edition, organisers said on Wednesday. Shooting has also returned to the programme after being dropped for the 2022 Birmingham Games. Coastal rowing, which is pushing to be included in the 2028 Los...

Athletics-Kipchoge eyes third straight Olympic marathon gold at Paris

(Reuters) – Eliud Kipchoge became only the third man to win back-to-back Olympic marathon crowns at the Tokyo Games last year but the 37-year-old Kenyan said he wants the record all to himself and will go for gold once again at Paris 2024. “I trust that all things will carry me well up to 2024...

Soccer-Liverpool saunter past Rangers 2-0 in Champions League

By Andrew Cawthorne LIVERPOOL (Reuters) – Liverpool put their recent stutters behind them to comfortably beat Rangers 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday and move into second spot in Group A. The win, thanks to a sumptuous first-half free kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold and a second-half penalty by Mohamed Salah, put the six-times European...

‘Students to be monitored’

Police will be closely monitoring students travelling to Lautoka for the Fiji Secondary School Rugby Union Deans finals this weekend. Chief operations officer Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abdul Khan said a traffic management plan had been put together by the Fiji Police Force which would include escorting packages for participating teams. “The recent attacks...

Leweniqila grateful

With three days to go until the Rugby World Cup 2021 gets underway, the wait is almost over for Fijiana skipper Sereima Leweniqila. After mixed results from its past two games where the Senirusi Seruvakila-coached side defeated the New Zealand Wahine Maori 32-10 and a loss to world No.3 Canada 24-7 in the final Vodafone...

Cokanasiga recalled by Jones, joins camp

Fijian giant Joe Cokanasiga was named by head coach Eddie Jones in London for a three-day training camp. RugbyPass reported the side is currently preparing for their four Autumn Nations Series fixtures at Twickenham Stadium in November, when they’ll play Los Pumas, Japan, the All Blacks and the Springboks. Full squad Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Alex...

England to play Fiji in RWC warm-up

The Vodafone Flying Fijians is scheduled to play a warm-up match against England next year ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. England head coach Eddie Jones while confirming the news to RugbyPass and at the same time wary of what the Fijian side can bring to on game day. “We also know...

Reps stay focus

Ba football team head coach Imdad Ali says they will not let rumours swirling around on social media about their new management affect their performance in this weekend’s 2022 Courts Inter-District Championship. “All of the teams have been preparing well and so are we but there are drawbacks in Ba which people know about like...

Ba in search for lost football glory

Looking to bring glory back to Ba Town at one of the country’s biggest football stage, the Ba football team is banking on its new young players to bring home the 2022 Courts Inter-District Championship trophy. Head coach Imdad Ali said the tournament, which would start at the HFC Bank Stadium today, will be the...

Final hurdle – Faith, confidence drive Flagstaff warriors

The Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union Deans Trophy will find a new home in Suva this weekend after the under-18 final between Suva Grammar School and Marist Brothers High School. The southern zone neighbours survived the western heat and challenge last Saturday at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, beating Natabua High School 30-26 and 17-13...

2022 Courts IDC: Tavua holds T/Naitasiri

The Tavua football side held favorites Tailevu Naitasiri to a nil-all draw in the first match of the Courts Inter District Championship at the HFC Bank Stadium today. The two teams opened the competition in the Premier division. In the opening match of the Senior division, Bua edged Lami 1-nil.

Fijiana ready for Roses

The Fijiana 15s side is aware of the uphill battle they will face when they take on world number one England in their opening match at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. It will always be a tough ask for the Fijian girls who are ranked 21 to go up against the world...

Team settles in well in NZ

The Fijiana 15s side has settled in well in New Zealand ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup which starts this week. The Fijiana, ranked 21 in the world, will take on world number one England in their first ever match at a world cup. Team captain Sereima Leweniqila said the support received so far...

Panthers to miss Api, Kikau after grand final win

Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary says they will surely miss Viliame Kikau and Apisai Koroisau next season as the two Fiji Bati players head to next clubs next season. Kikau and Koroisau have been an integral part of Cleary’s starting XIII for the past few seasons and helped the Panthers clinch back-to-back NRL grand final...

Kangaroos leave Koroisau out

Dally M Hooker of the Year Apisai Koroisau is expected to feature for the Vodafone Fiji Bati side at the Rugby League World Cup in England which starts later this month. This, after he was left out of Australia’s 24-men squad for the tournament. Coach Mal Meninga named 13 uncapped players in his squad and...

Whites wait on injured Radrigai

The Suva football side is confident central midfielder Dave Radrigai will be cleared to feature for the Capital City side when the Courts inter District Championship kicks off tomorrow. Coach Babs Khan said Radrigai had been training with the side and it will be a boost to have him in the team. “He is one...

Australian company steps in to assist Tigers

The Rewa football side has been given a huge boost ahead of the 2022 Courts Inter District Championship (IDC) with the signing on of Australia-based Sharam Hangers as a major sponsor for the week long tournament. Company director, Mohammed Sharif Khan, who is originally from Kasavu in Nausori, said he was hopeful Rewa would do...

IDC torch visits towns

Excitement is building after the torch for the country’s biggest football tournament, the Courts Inter District Competition (IDC) was ferried across Viti Levu in the lead up to the showdown this weekend in Suva. Teams in the Western Division had a chance to showcase the Courts IDC torch which was marched by players and coaching...

‘Red Fire’ running hot

Suva Grammar School beat Marist Brothers High School 20-10 during the third round of the Southern Zone competition. But come this Saturday, the “Red Fire” under-18 side will run on to Churchill Park, Lautoka, determined to turn things around. Marist is aware of what to expect in the final of the Vodafone Super Deans competition...

Funds raised for a good cause

All funds raised from the 2022 Fiji Bitter Namalata, Kadavu 7s will go towards the building of new teachers’ quarters and renovations at Namalata Central College. This, according to tournament coordinator Malakai Yamaivava. “We will try and raise as much funds as possible so we can build some new quarters for teachers here plus there...

Club helps with prep

The Namalata Rugby Club members took time out yesterday to help out in preparations for the inaugural Fiji Bitter Namalata 7s in Kadavu. The tournament, which kicks off tomorrow, has drawn a lot of attention to the island and club president Alivereti Cokanasiga said it was a good time to revive the sport there. “We...

Ryan Fox soars to career-highest 25th in world after DP World Tour win

Only three other Kiwi men have spent time inside the top 50 since the OWGR system was launched in 1986, with 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell peaking at No 12, Frank Nobilo getting as high as 21 and Danny Lee ranked 34th in February 2016. It caps a remarkable rise for Fox, who started...

Jordie Barrett re-signs for All Blacks until 2025

All Blacks backline regular Jordie Barrett has signed a new deal that will keep him in the capital with the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) through till the end of 2025. It is understood Barrett’s contract could include a sabbatical clause which would give him the right to skip a Super Rugby season to...

‘As sick as I’ve seen him’: Inside Ivan Cleary’s private health battle to make NRL grand final

Two-time premiership-winning coach Ivan Cleary has detailed the mid-season health crisis which left him in intensive care with blood clots on his lungs, enough for his wife Bec to say it was “scary and as sick as I’ve seen him”. Months after a serious knee infection developed into a condition which required hospitalisation and several...

Namalata 7s: Final touches done

The first-ever Fiji Bitter Namalata 7s is set to attract a huge contingent to the island of Kadavu this week. Sixty-eight rugby and netball teams will converge on the fourth largest island in the country for a three-day battle. Tournament co-ordinator Malakai Yamaivava, who is on Kadavu since last week, said preparation works had been...

2022 IDC: Lautoka chases title

The Lautoka Football Association is keen to win the Courts Inter District Championship after their last victory in 2018. LFA president Rajnesh Prasad said the team had been preparing well for the IDC. Prasad said they did not have any injury concerns. “However, we will be reviewing the players who will arrive from national duties...

Naidrodro wins Marist Eastgate hockey title

Naidrodro from Ba took out the Marist Eastgate Memorial Tournament men’s title at Nadovu Park in Lautoka yesterday. They beat Stingers from Suva in penalty shootout 3–2. Marist Hearts won the women’s title. They defeated Ventures 2– nil in the final. Marist Hockey Club executive Sean Patrick said they had to shift the tournament to...

Aussies ready to help

Australia schools rugby league coaches say they are keen on helping grow the game in Fiji. The Australian schoolboys and schoolgirls team returned home yesterday after participating in an inaugural Vuvale Shield challenge against their Fijian counterparts on Friday. The schoolboys won their match 58-13 while the Aussie girls beat the home side 48-0. Australian...

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