An all-star weekend for the sporting world

Yadra vinaka! We return for round one of Super Rugby Pacific, which had every rugby fan on the edge of their seat, while the NRL All-Stars kicked off emphatically.

NRL All-Stars Impress

Footy is back!

The Māori All-Stars clinched a nail-biting 10-6 victory over the Indigenous All-Stars in a fiercely contested match, with both teams close to sealing the win in the final moments.

Indigenous All-Stars captain Shaquai Mitchell broke the deadlock with a decisive try, but Jesse Arthars and Jacob Laban struck back for the Māori.

Players embracing after the NRL All Stars match. Photo/NRL.

Drama peaked when Brent Naden was denied a try by mere centimetres, and a heroic last-ditch tackle by Dane Gagai kept the Indigenous side in contention.

Despite a late interception giving the Indigenous team one final shot, the Māori defence held firm.

Although Kalyn Ponga was relatively quiet overall, he delivered a game-saving hit early on, while Keano Kini stood out in the gritty, rain-affected battle.

It was a true test of pride, resilience, and skill.

Warriors top NRL pre-season challenge

I don’t want to jinx it just yet, but I believe this year might be our year!

The Warriors have made a strong start to the NRL pre-season challenge, kicking off their season with a draw and a win in their opening two trial matches.

The past weekend, the Warriors triumphed against the Melbourne Storm at FMG Stadium in Waikato, with a score of 36-10.

Photo/Warriors media.

A stand-out moment for me was witnessing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck use his signature right footstep to score on the left edge.

The side is now preparing for the big lights of Las Vegas, where they will face the Canberra Raiders. There’s a lot of potential for this squad.

PacAus Netball Series fires up

The PacificAus Sports Netball Series is back and bigger than ever, with Pacific powerhouses ready to shine at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena from February 17-22.

The tournament shines a spotlight on Pacific teams especially the defending champions Tonga Tala, who have dominated all four previous tournaments.

Photo/Netball Samoa.

They will face tough competition from the Fiji Pearls, Papua New Guinea Pepes, and Sāmoa Tifa Moana, all eager to dethrone Tonga and improve their world rankings.

Meanwhile, debutants Scottish Thistles bring an exciting wildcard element to the mix.

Australia’s Black Swans, representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent, will also take the court, but they are projected to finish sixth and miss out on medal matches.

We are in for an exciting round of Pasifika netball on the courts today!

NRL stars react to Mana Pasifika

Pacific NRL stars are backing the bid for a Pasifika team, calling it the "future of the game”.

The 'Mana Pasifika' bid, centred in Auckland, has sparked enthusiasm among players like Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton, who believes a second New Zealand team is essential to harness the region’s growing talent.

Titans captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Wests Tigers skipper Apisai Koroisau also support the idea, highlighting its potential to attract more Pacific Islanders and grow the sport.

With strong community backing and plans to bring games to Sāmoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands, the bid aims to celebrate Pasifika culture while expanding the NRL’s reach.

NBA All-Star Weekend ignites

It’s NBA All-Star Weekend, kicked off with an exhilarating dunk contest that saw Mac McClung win a historic third title in a row.

His highlight reel included jumping over a car for a reverse dunk, leaping over a person for a two-ball dunk, and finishing with a rim-tap dunk over Cleveland Cavaliers Evan Mobley.

McClung earned perfect scores for all four dunks, cementing his status as the undisputed king of the contest.