What a weekend of sports we’ve just had.

The Silver Ferns kicked off their Northern Series with a win, Manu Sāmoa took a major step in their World Cup qualification campaign, and the Australian Jillaroos secured back-to-back titles at the Pacific Championships.

Here’s a recap of the weekend’s sporting highlights.

In the early hours of Monday morning, the Silver Ferns opened their Northern Series Tour with a 63-41 win over the Scotland Thistles.

Interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie used the match to trial fresh talent, resting regular starters Grace Nweke and Maddy Gordon.

Steel defender Carys Stythe made her debut as Silver Fern #193, starting at Goal Keeper.

Silver Ferns debutant Carys Stythe. Photo/Bruce White/Photosport

The former Mystics player performed well during her 30 minutes on the court, picking up two gains and disrupting the Scottish shooting circle with her reach.

Despite winning all four quarters, something they haven’t accomplished in a while, New Zealand appeared patchy at times, particularly on attack.

Although they opened with quick ball movement and long feeds into the shooting circle, they were at times disconnected, allowing Scotland to intercept passes.

The Ferns made 10 changes throughout the match, with Mila Reulu-Buchanan moving into Wing Attack for Peta Toeava in the second half and later shifting to Centre in the final quarter. Kate Heffernan also came on at Wing Defence for Parris Mason.

Martina Salmon was named Player of the Match after converting 21 of 23 goals, finishing with an impressive shooting percentage of 91 per cent.

Up next, the Ferns will look to improve their connections as they face Scotland again this Wednesday, with the centre pass scheduled at 8.30am (NZT).

One down, two to go for the Manu

Manu Sāmoa inched one step closer to securing their spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup after winning their first qualifying match in Dubai on Saturday.

They defeated Brazil 48-10 in their first-ever encounter, with several returning players dominating the match to keep Manu Sāmoa’s World Cup hopes alive.

Fullback Jacob Umaga and winger Latrell Smiler Ah-Kiong, both debutants from the match against Scotland in August, made an immediate impact with strong early attacking plays.

Manu Samoa centre, Melani Nanai in game one against Brazil. Photo/Facebook

Umaga got the ball rolling, combining with Ah-Kiong, who broke the line to send him over for a try. Umaga maintained his strong form throughout the match, finishing with a team-high 12 carries.

Two yellow cards for Manu Sāmoa’s Melani Nanai and Tumua Manu highlighted lingering discipline issues from past games. Despite this, the team stayed on the attack and secured a solid opening performance, crossing the line for seven tries to Brazil’s two.

All of Manu’s bench players saw game time as they prepare to regroup for their next match this Friday.

Head coach Lemalu Tusi Pisi expressed to the media after the match that the team is focused on staying present after clinching their first win, following a challenging winless streak.

“We just talked about it there [after the game]. We just need to savour the feeling and make sure we have our feet with the now and enjoy it, and then move on to the next game.”

After round one, the Manu led the table with five points, followed by Belgium with four after a shocking 22-15 win over Namibia. Sāmoa will face Namibia next, kickoff 4.30am (NZT).

Some Manu Samoa players at a training session. Photo/Facebook

Jillaroos prove too strong for Kiwi Ferns

In an unexpected turn of events from their arm wrestle at Eden Park, the Jillaroos pummeled the Kiwi Ferns in the grand final of the women's Pacific Championships.

The Australians delivered a masterclass performance, piling 28 unanswered points against the visitors, then scoring 12 more in the second half.

One of the standouts was Broncos winger Julia Robinson, being superb under the high ball all season, leaping to catch a cross-kick from Jesse Southwell under pressure to score the second try of the match.

Kiwi Ferns’ interchange Ashleigh Quinlan’s appearance was short-lived, as she was sent off almost immediately after coming on for a professional foul.

However, effort is never denied with the Kiwi Ferns, opening the second half with a try to Shanice Parker after a lovely set of play through the hands.

On the other end, halfback Raecene McGregor offloaded to Tysha Ikenasio, who still had work to do stepping a Jillaroos defender to score the Kiwi Ferns’ final try of the match.

After missing their previous match, Tamika Upton returned at fullback for the Jillaroos without missing a beat. All five backs ran over 100 metres, with Upton crossing for a try, further boosting her credentials for a potential Golden Boot first.

As the curtain closes on another Pacific Championships, the Jillaroos’ undefeated series brings them back-to-back titles.