31 May 2023

Sports news in brief for May 31

3:18 pm on 31 May 2023
The Fijiana team

The Fijiana team Photo: Oceania Rugby

Rugby - Manusina/ Fijiana

Samoa's Manusina XV are two from two in the Oceania Women's Rugby Championship after defeating the PNG Cassowarries 83-0.

It is the second heavy defeat in a row for the Cassowarries, who lost 77-0 to the Fijiana XV in round one at Bond University in Queensland.

In Tuesday night's other game, the Fijiana XV beat Tonga's Fuifuilupe 45-12.

Round 3 takes place on Sunday.

Football - Champions League

Labasa Women FC and Kiwi FC will play the first-ever OFC Women's Champions League match in Port Moresby on Thursday.

The Fijian and Samoan club champions play the opening match of the tournament, kicking off at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby.

Its followed by local side Hekari United FC facing AS Academy Féminine FC from New Caldedonia.

Koloale FC of Solomon Islands have a bye.

Football - Singapore/ Solomons

Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands will play one game apiece against Singapore in the city-state next month.

The Lions, ranked 158th in the world, will play PNG, who are ranked a place below, on June 15 before entertaining the 134-ranked Solomon Islands three days later with both matches kicking-off at 7.30pm.

Singapore coach Takayuki Nishigaya, who is using the games to prepare the team for the forthcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers, said both opponents will provide the kind of challenges they would like to expose their players to a higher level of physical competition.

Pacific Games - sponsorship

Organisers of this year's Pacific Games have signed a deal with South Pacific Oil (SPO) which Solomon Islands 2023 chairman Martin Rara has hailed as "a lifeline" for the event.

The deal will make the company the first official 'Gold' sponsor and fuelling partner of Sol2023.

Under the terms of the deal, SPO will provide fuel for generators and a Games fleet of some 300 vehicles.

Meanwhile, an Australian company will produce the merchandise for the Games which begin on November 19.

Ausmart has been granted exclusive rights for the production, promotion, distribution and sales of all commercial merchandise, including plush toys of the event's mascot, a leatherback turtle named Solo.