Fiji lose Paris 7's to Samoa but win Jarryd Hayne for the Olympics!
Samoa completed a stunning comeback to beat Fiji 29-26 in the Cup final to win the Paris Sevens.
It's the first tournament victory for the Manu since Dubai in 2012 and reverses a 42-5 hiding suffered at the hands of their Pacific rivals in pool play a day earlier.
Head coach Damian McGrath was full of praise for his players.
"I never in my wildest dreams when we woke up this morning thought that we could go through the day. We played three probably the most physical teams here in South Africa, Argentina and then Fiji and to put in the sort of performance that we did made me really proud."
Another heavy defeat appeared on the cards for Samoa when tries to Isake Katonibau, Leone Nakarawa and Jerry Tuwai gave Fiji a commanding 21-0 advantage nine minutes into the final.
Belgium Tuatagaloa struck back with a try for Samoa but Jerry Tuwai's second of the match gave Ben Ryan's side a seemingly insurmountable 26-7 half-time lead.…more
The uso Joseph Parker is "insanely fast!"
With 18 wins - 16 of which were by KO, the formiddable and unstoppable Joseph Parker is one of the most exciting boxers to come out of NZ since David 'The Terminator' Tua!
Dwayne Johnson on the new Jumanji movie and Robin Williams
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has made a promise the new film of the 1995 fantasy classic would "forever immortalise" Robin Williams' character from the first film in "an earnest and cool way."
Source: Stuff
The Rock took to Instagram to reveal more details about the film he will star in as well as produce:
"An important thing I want to be honest and bring up is Robin Williams. The love and respect I have for this man is boundless. You have my word we will honour his name and the character of "Alan Parrish" will stand alone and be forever immortalised in the world of Jumanji in an earnest and cool way. I have an idea of what to do and I think his family will be proud. I also think Robin is somewhere lookin’ down and laughing, remembering the first time we met backstage and I (for the first time ever) was a star struck bumbling idiot that couldn’t even get my words out. Idiot. He literally calmed me down w/ that smile and laugh.…more
Humans Of The Islands - John Mateialona Maumau-Pinomi
John Mateialona Maumau-Pinomi
Tongan, 31 years old
Aspiring Football player
Famous Poly's and their mum's!
No matter where you go and who you are, your mother will always be your mother - and no saying is truer when you're a Pacific Islander! Check out some of our famous Poly's and their superstar mothers!
Joe and Agnes Naufahu
When Joe was walking the red carpet at the premiere of Game of Thrones Season 6 in Los Angeles, the 38-year-old decided that there was noone else he'd rather take then his mum, which seems to be a recurring theme:
"This is taking me back to my first year at Varsity at Auckland University; so on Orientation Day, mum came with me. I had to line up and get my books and all that, and mum was like "No Joseph, this is not the line for the paper for the business! Come over here, this one!" And I was standing there like "ahhh...…more
The terrifying moment Dwayne Johnson saved his mother's life
For years, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson says he and his parents lived paycheck to paycheck, moving to a different city every time his dad, a professional wrestler in the '80s, got a new gig.
When Dwayne was 15, he and his mother followed his father to Nashville, Tennessee, from California. Soon after she arrived, Dwayne says his parents got into a fight that he'll never forget
Students pronounce Tua Tagovailoa's name
Check out this video with students from the University of Alabama trying to pronounce Quarter Back Tua Tagovailoa's name!
Tagovailoa has recently joined the University of Alabama's 'Crimson Tide' - the top prospect in Hawaii and is the highest-rated player to ever come out of Hawaii. He goes to the same high school, Saint Louis, that produced 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who is now the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans.
Revamped Aggie Greys Open for business
The legacy of Aggie Grey is a story that is famous in the South Pacific, from the humble beginnings as a burger joint for US soldiers in WWII to its partnership with five star Sheraton chain, the hotel is the most iconic in Samoa.
Aggie Grey
A raft of Hollywood stars have stayed there since the filming of 'Return to Paradise' in Samoa, as well as Presidents and Royalty. So many kiwi Samoans have had formative experiences at the huge family orientated hotel, that when Cyclone Evan wiped out its infrastructure in 2012, it was a huge blow for Samoa and also for the many Samoans abroad.
After three years of rebuilding, today heralds a new era in Samoa Tourism and thousands of visitors around the globe will be flooding back to take a look at the resurrection of this grand old dame.
Lupesina Fred Grey with VIP dignitaries from Tahiti
The Grey family have extensive relations with the Tahitian government due to their hotel purchases in French Polynesia.…more
The Fight to Funding the Olympic Dream
"Our challenge now is that we need funding."
It's not the exact words you would expect to hear from an Olympic athlete, but for Tongan-Australian Pita Taufatofua, it's been the bottom line phrase of his professional career.
For the most part he has self-funded his entire journey, a career that spans twenty years and includes various international tournaments, and two other Olympic Qualifying events.
The first disappointment in the journey to the Olympic dream was missing out on competing in the 2008 Oceania tournament (an Olympic Qualifying event) because the government of Tonga had no funds to send him.
And now, after becoming Tonga's first ever Taekwondo Olympic Qualifier, the struggle to get funding remains.
"The government is doing what they can, at the moment there isn't anything for them to give," said Pita
"But they're working on their part to try and get as much to us as possible."
But it's the early stages of preparation where funding is really needed, explains Pita.…more
Communities worldwide weave message to end violence
What first began as a response to the rape and murder of a young Australian woman, has now become a force for change uniting people all around the world.
Samoan Artist Maryann Pau had no idea when she launched her One Million Stars to End Violence' project in 2012 that it would bring healing to so many, world wide.
And now her star-weaving workshops are being taken directly to women in the Pacific region, invoking hard-hitting conversations about an issue that is so close to home for Pacific people.
In 2012, the tragic death of ABC Journalist Jill Meagher brought an outpouring of grief from Maryann's local community and she began her own weaving campaign to advocate against violence.
"It was such a personal response. I'm a weaver," she said
"I love the craft. I appreciate the process of weaving."
After posting an 8 point star-weaving instruction video on Youtube, supported by a message about her inspiration to end violence - she invited others to join the campaign.
She did not expect the fruit it has been bearing ever since.…more