In this bulletin:
1. RUGBY LEAGUE— IRL announce format for Rugby League World Cup 2030 across Pacific-USA
2. RUGBY LEAGUE — Church on Sunday: Fab four from Abbi helps Jillaroos outlast Fiji
3. RUGBY LEAGUE — Clinical Kangaroos sink Samoa to set up Kiwis showdown
4. RUGBY LEAGUE — Waaka treble helps Kiwi Ferns storm into World Cup final
5. RUGBY LEAGUE — New Zealand down spirited Tonga to reach Rugby League World Cup final
6. RUGBY — France thump Fiji but lose Ntamack to injury
7. RUGBY— Tonga eyes Skipper Cup entry
8. RUGBY — Tonga edged out Oaks in enthralling battle
9. RUGBY — USA edge thriller against Hong Kong China in dramatic finale to fourth round of World Rugby Nations Cup
10. FOOTBALLL — Teretia Teinaki inspired to lead the future of women’s football in the Cook Islands
11. FOOTBALL — Tonga Football Association Grassroots League Building the Future of Tongan Football
PAC – RUGBY LEAGUE: NRL PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
IRL announce format for Rugby League World Cup 2030 across Pacific-USA
SYDNEY, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (NRL)—IRL Rugby League World Cup 2030 Men’s and Women’s tournaments will adopt a Magic Round format and be staged in cities across the Pacific and United States of America with more teams to be involved.
International Rugby League Chair Troy Grant announced details of the next World Cup at a media conference in Sydney ahead of the RLWC26 Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair finals.
The IRL Board has also approved changes to international eligibility rules to increase the pool of players available to nations and endorsed the elevation of Tonga and Samoa to Men’s Tier 1 status, subject to consultation with both RLWC26 semi-finalists.
RLWC30 is set to again feature Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair World Cups being played concurrently, with the Men’s and Women’s tournaments to be held together and France the favourites to host the Wheelchair tournament.
The 2030 Men’s and Women’s tournaments will be staged by the Australian Rugby League Commission, who have conducted the most successful World Cup since the concept began in 1954.
With RLWC26 attracting record crowds and television ratings for international rugby league, Mr Grant said the IRL Board wanted to maximise the interest of broadcasters, fans and government and corporate partners.
The rise of the Pacific nations has generated unprecedented interest in the United States, which accounted for almost 80 per cent of subscriptions to stream RLWC26 matches via the IRL’s global broadcast partner Premier Sports.
The ARLC also has experience and expertise in staging matches in the United States after taking the opening matches of each NRL season to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas since 2024.
Mr Grant said: “The IRL Board has decided that the next Rugby League World Cup for Men and Women in 2030 will be staged in the Pacific-USA. The next Wheelchair World Cup is going to be run at the same time in France.
“This is a strategy to maximise the interest of broadcasters, government partners and fans in the current World Cup, which has regularly broken records for crowds and the number of television viewers because of the outstanding skill, intensity and passion of the players and teams.
“At the same time we want to take advantage of opportunities that are opening up in new frontiers where the Rugby League World Cup hasn’t previously been played.
“The ARLC have agreed to be the organisers, with the IRL, of RLWC30. They will be our tournament partners, and I would like to thank ARLC Executive Chairman Peter V’landys for his vision and support to grow international rugby league and ensure the Rugby League World Cup is the pinnacle of our game.
“RLWC26 has been a massive success by every possible metric – both on and off the field – and the ARLC has the capacity and ability to help build the World Cup into a truly global event.
“The World Cup under its current format runs for five weeks and RLWC30 is going to be run in five locations across the Pacific and USA. We haven’t decided where yet; we are going to market and will look at the strategic placement of which cities we go to.
“The cities will be ones that have the appropriate stadia to run matches over multiple days to get all of the pool matches played in one location.
“This will be similar to a Magic Round, so IRL Rugby League World Cup 2030 will arrive in town, the stadium will be activated and there will be a lot of opportunities to promote the teams and the game. The World Cup will then move to the next city that is identified.
“There are three weeks where every nation is involved and then we have semi-finals and finals.
“The IRL Board has also decided to increase the number of participating nations from 10 Men’s teams and eight Women’s teams in 2026, to 12 Men’s teams and 10 Women’s teams.
“The format for what that will look like is yet to be decided and nations were asked for feedback during the IRL AGM and Congress in Sydney over the weekend.”
The IRL Board has proposed that the 2034 Rugby League World Cup be played under a similar format in Europe, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the game in France, which was behind the establishment of the World Cup in 1954.
Eligibility update
The IRL Board has also agreed to extend the eligibility criteria for players to be eligible to represent their nation of heritage if either they, a parent, a grandparent or a great grandparent were born there.
The update to the eligibility rules followed a detailed submission from Cook Islands given their small population of less than 20,000 and the movement of Cook Islanders to larger countries for work, study or other purposes.
IRL Chair Troy Grant said: “We have made a number of other decisions at Board level with the absolute intent of just growing the player pool across Wheelchair and Women’s formats to help the game continue to grow.
“The IRL Board had a lengthy discussion in regards to the application from Cook Islands and the Board has resolved to change eligibility for all three forms of the game for every nation to great grandparent.
“We did a lot of analysis and looked at a lot of data to help inform the Board to be able to make this decision, and every nation has the ability to go to great grandparent as part of the heritage eligibility for their player pools going forward.”
Samoa, Tonga set to become Tier 1 nations
The IRL Board has begun discussions with Samoa and Tonga about promoting the Pacific nations to Tier 1 status, alongside Australia, England and New Zealand.
The elevation of Samoa and Tonga as Tier 1 nations would be in recognition of their performances on and off the field, with both nations reaching the semi-finals of RLWC26.
Samoa became the first Pacific nation to play in a World Cup final in 2022, while Tonga are the only Tier 2 nation to have defeated Australia, England and New Zealand.
IRL Chair Troy Grant said: “The Board voted unanimously to engage with Tonga and Samoa on elevating them from Tier 2 to Tier 1 status. I have been in contact with both nations to advise them of the Board’s decision. We will be working with them over the next couple of months to ensure there is no unintended consequences from that potential elevation to Tier 1.
“This is out of respect and acknowledgement of their achievements on two fronts; obviously their performances on field are without question the equivalent of the current three Tier 1 nations and secondly these two nations have taken gigantic leaps forward regarding their governance and what they are doing domestically.”
PAC – RUGBY LEAGUE: NRL PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Church on Sunday: Fab four from Abbi helps Jillaroos outlast Fiji
SYDNEY, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (NRL)—The Jillaroos have survived a major scare from World Cup first-timers Fiji to come away with a 30-14 triumph at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
The star for the world champions was winger Abbi Church with four tries and 205 run metres while skipper Isabelle Kelly ran for 165 metres and back-rower Olivia Kernick had 19 runs for 156 metres as Australia set up a World Cup Final against arch-rivals New Zealand in Brisbane.
Making their World Cup debut the Bulikula had a number of heroes as they the star-studded Australian side to the limit, with five-eighth Luisa Yaranamua standing tall and outside backs Cassie Staples and Maria Paseka also delivering on the big stage.
The Bulikula came out full of intensity and forced early errors from Jess Sergis and Jocelyn Kelleher before taking the lead through a Yaranamua penalty goal in the 12th minute.
That 2-0 lead to Fiji signalled the first time since the 2013 World Cup Final that the Jillaroos have not scored first points in a Test match.
An error by Jaime Chapman coming out of her own end in the 15th minute handed Fiji more field position and they capitalised when Yaranamua powered over from dummy half and converted her own try for an 8-0 lead.
A mistake by Losana Lutu in the 24th minute handed the Jillaroos their best field position of the match and they made it count when Tarryn Aiken and Tamika Upton combined to put Church over in the right-hand corner.
Trailing 8-4 the Jillaroos went to their big gun Upton on the right and she got on the outside of Sienna Laing and raced away for her third try of the tournament to tie things up.
In the final minute of the half Fiji had a golden chance to take the lead with several sets inside the red zone but a dropped ball by Lutu sent us to the break deadlocked at 8-8 after a magnificent first half from the Bulikula.
Five minutes into the second half the world champions had the lead when Jess Sergis produced a classy tip-on for Church to dance her way through from 10 metres out to give her a double. Kelleher added the extras to make it 14-8.
The Jillaroos had their fourth try and Jaime Chapman her 10th of the tournament in the 44th minute before a pinpoint crossfield kick from Aiken was taken on the full by Church to complete her hat-trick and give the Jillaroos breathing space at 24-8.
Fiji hit back in the 62nd minute when Yaranamua produced a peach of a pass to send Paseka over on the right edge and the Bulikula were back within 10.
With Fiji daring to dream it was the flying Church who put the game out of reach after taking a bomb and sprinting 80 metres to score her fourth try, evading several defenders and putting a huge step on Cassie Staples.
The Jillaroos closed it out 30-14 but will have some concerns around winger Chapman who left the field with 20 minutes to play due to cramping……PACNEWS
AUST – RUGBY: NRL PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Clinical Kangaroos sink Samoa to set up Kiwis showdown
SYDNEY, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (NRL)—-The Kangaroos have set up a World Cup Final showdown with the Kiwis after a dominant 44-12 win over Samoa in Sunday’s semi-final in front of 41,259 fans at Allianz Stadium.
With Reece Walsh snaring a hat-trick and Tom Dearden and Cameron Munster steering the ship superbly, the world champions turned a 26-2 half-time lead into their sixth Test match win over Samoa from six meetings.
The Kangaroos now head to Brisbane to face their Trans-Tasman rivals in a rematch of their Round 1 blockbuster in Sydney and a repeat of the 2013, 2008 and 2000 World Cup Finals.
That decider at Suncorp Stadium in 2008 produced one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history when the Benji Marshall-inspired Kiwis got home 34-20.
The night started well enough for Samoa as they looked to qualify for a second straight World Cup Final, with Stephen Crichton knocking over a penalty goal in the fifth minute after the Kangaroos were caught offside.
Just two minutes later Crichton came up with an error 20m out and the Kangaroos cashed in from the set scrum when Dearden dummied his way past Jazz Tevaga and Francis Manuleleua to score the opening try.
Come the 14th minute and the Kangaroos had a second when Keaon Koloamatangi was stopped just short of the line and offloaded for Grant who found Munster and the five-eighth turned Jacob Preston underneath him to score.
A mistake by Spencer Leniu coming out of own end in the 24th minute handed Australia more field position and winger Tom Trbojevic crossed for his eighth try of tournament after slick lead-up from Dearden and Kotoni Staggs.
Samoa looked to have hit back on the half-hour mark when Francis Manuleleua chased a Jarome Luai bomb and contested the catch with Reece Walsh with the ball spilling to Crichton who dived over.
The bunker ruled Manuleleua had knocked on in the contest and the try was ruled out, taking the wind out of Samoa’s sails after an emotional celebration.
Just two minutes later Walsh rubbed salt in Samoa’s wounds when he exploded into a hole on the left edge between Ronald Volkman and Crichton.
Ahead 20-2 with half-time approaching, Australia grabbed a fifth try when Cameron Murray went to the line and drew in three defenders before slipping a pass to Preston who send Bradman Best over for his first Test try.
Making matters worse for Samoa they lost Spencer Leniu to the sin bin for dissent after he had taken out on his frustration on referee Adam Gee after the Best try.
Trailing by 24 at the break Samoa made the ideal start to the second term when Walsh came up with a cold drop from a Volkman bomb and Crichton cleaned up the scraps to score.
In typical Walsh fashion he put the error out of his mind and came up with his second try of the night three minutes later when he took a short ball from Grant and powered through Crichton to score. The conversion from Cameron Munster made it 32-8 to the Kangaroos.
Samoa lifted again in the 61st minute when Izack Tago slid across in the left-hand corner after good work on his inside from Volkman, Luai and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
As they had done all night the Kangaroos answered the challenge with a superb team try finished off by Walsh after Trbojevic, Dearden and Munster played crucial roles in a try that started on their own side of halfway.
With eight minutes to play and their ticket already booked for the big dance, left winger Jack Bostock crossed for his seventh try of the tournament which Munster converted to make it 44-12.
Just as it was in 2022 in the UK, Australia and New Zealand will meet in the men’s and women’s World Cup Finals next Sunday in what promises to be a magnificent showcase of rugby league….PACNEWS
PAC – RUGBY LEAGUE: NRL PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Waaka treble helps Kiwi Ferns storm into World Cup final
SYDNEY, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (NRL)—A Stacey Waaka hat-trick and masterful kicking game from skipper Raecene McGregor has guided New Zealand to a strong 32-0 World Cup semi-final win in Newcastle.
The Kiwi Ferns had their most connected performance of the campaign, but were made to fight as Samoa hung in the match until the dying stages.
Samoa made a nervous start and were shellshocked when Mackenzie Wiki dived over in the corner in the 2nd minute to give the Kiwi Ferns a 4-0 lead despite question marks over the put-down.
But New Zealand weren’t about to run away with it, making a string of handling errors in the face of the physical defence of their opposition.
Samoa managed to control possession in the New Zealand half for multiple repeat sets midway through the first stanza, but the attack didn’t flow enough the challenge the Kiwi Ferns defence.
After withstanding the pressure, the Kiwi Ferns added to their tally with a bit of fortune as halfback Raecene McGregor put a short chip into space on the try line, only for the ball to bounce on its point to allow Stacey Waaka to jump over everyone and come down with the four points.
It heralded in stark change in conditions as a blustery weather front rolled in, shaking the goalposts and making it tough for Chantay Kiria-Ratu to keep it on the tee, making goalkicking difficult.
The 8-0 half-time lead was extended soon after the break when McGregor and Waaka combined once again.
Receiving a pass off the back of an offload from Mele Hufanga, who was running rampant, the No.7 stepped inside a would-be defender and placed a deft cross-field kick into the arms of centre Waaka to score, and Kiria-Ratu’s conversion made it 14-0 after 45 minutes.
Samoa was throwing the ball around trying desperately to give themselves a sniff but struggled with execution, being pinged for a number of forward passes at critical moments.
The result was sealed by the 60th minute after Hufanga and second rower Kaiya Atai scored in back-to-back sets.
The game opened up and Waaka completed her hat-trick thanks to a flying flick pass from Annessa Biddle, before Raecene McGregor finished off the 32-0 win with a well-deserved four-pointer.
The Kiwi Ferns await the winner of the Jillaroos vs Fiji Bulikula semi-final on Sunday ahead of the World Cup final on November 15…PACNEWS
PAC – RUGBY LEAGUE: THE GUARDIAN PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
New Zealand down spirited Tonga to reach Rugby League World Cup final
SYDNEY, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (THE GUARDIAN)–What had been billed as one of the most intriguing Rugby League World Cup semi-finals in history was, in the end, a brutal exposé of the standards other nations must rise to in order to match Australia and New Zealand.
Few countries have as close a connection to the rise of international rugby league quite like the Kiwis and Tonga. It was Jason Taumalolo’s decision to switch his allegiance from New Zealand to the Mate Ma’a in 2017 which lit the touchpaper for the ascencion of nations such as Samoa and Tonga, leading to a plethora of the world’s best players following suit.
He was dubbed a defector but he changed the course of international rugby league for ever. Together, Taumalolo and Tonga created World Cup history weeks later when they became the first tier-two nation to defeat a top-tier side, as they beat New Zealand at the 2017 World Cup. The rise has been so rapid that we reached this moment with a clear belief that Tonga could repeat the trick and qualify for their first final.
But ultimately, when the stakes are at their highest, the Kangaroos and the Kiwis still have another level to their game. Taumalolo slumped to the turf as the full-time hooter sounded in Newcastle knowing his international career was likely over, with New Zealand booking their place in next weekend’s final in style, completing a double success in Newcastle after the Kiwi Ferns beat Samoa to reach the women’s final.
New Zealand have, quite incredibly, not been in a World Cup final since 2013. But they have the chance to win the title for the first time since 2008 next weekend and, no matter who wins the second semi between Australia and Samoa, there is a fair argument to suggest Stacey Jones’s side will be favourites.
It was in the balance at half-time, with the Kiwis ahead by two points after Tonga underlined why they are now regarded as a powerhouse. But as conditions worsened, New Zealand rose to the occasion and scored 22 unanswered points.
New Zealand’s big selection call was to restore Kalyn Ponga to the side at full-back just 23 days after breaking a bone in his forearm in the tournament opener. It produced an almost immediate reward as he teed up Briton Nikora for the opening try after five minutes, but Tonga roared back with two tries of their own to take the lead.
Jojo Fifita scored both of them, first finishing a wonderful long-range break before powering over from close range to put the Mate Ma’a in front. Their supporters, who have brought so much colour and enjoyment to the tournament, were now dreaming of history. But as half-time approached, they were dealt a crushing blow.
New Zealand reacted better to the worsening conditions, with the kicking games of Jahrome Hughes and Ponga vital. It was Ponga’s kick which led to Dane Gagai scoring three minutes before the break, with Jamayne Isaako converting to nudge the Kiwis ahead by two. From there, they did not look back.
“I was always determined to come back,” said Ponga. “That first half was tough and then the wind obviously helped us in the second half. But I think our mentality also, we knew that if we did enough in the second half we’d get some rewards, and we did.”
Whenever New Zealand put themselves in prime attacking territory they were able to take full advantage. They extended their lead eight minutes after the restart when Casey McLean scored his 18th try in eight Tests with a wonderful finish, before Tonga misjudged a clever Kiwis kick to allow Hughes to score their fourth.
Isaako was magnificent from the tee, defying the swirling wind and driving rain to convert all four Kiwis tries, and, with a 14-point buffer established, the game was now in their control. Xavier Willison scored their fifth before another kick, this time from James Fisher-Harris, was grounded by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
Tonga leave the stage with their heads held high. “I don’t think these fans understand how much the support means to us, the way that they rally around us through thick and thin,” said their half-back Isaiya Katoa. “I want to say thank you to everyone, the whole Tongan community all around the world.”
Given the progress of Samoa and Tonga, as well as the resurgence of New Zealand this autumn, the general consensus pre-tournament was that a victory for anyone other than Australia would be a good one for the game. The Kiwis once again finally look capable of being the side to deliver on that hope….PACNEWS
PAC – RUGBY AFP PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
France thump Fiji but lose Ntamack to injury
LYON, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (AFP)—France stormed back to the top of the northern hemisphere Nations Championship table with a dominant but flawed 54-17 victory over Fiji on Saturday.
Victory came at a cost, with fly-half Romain Ntamack, aligned alongside captain Antoine Dupont at halfback for the first time since March 2025, seemingly dislocating his shoulder in the build up to France’s third try.
With Mathieu Jalibert already out injured, France will face world champions South Africa next week without either of their best flyhalves.
They will need a vastly improved showing to stand any chance of avoiding a 10th defeat in their last 11 clashes with the Springboks.
Props Jean-Baptiste Gros and Sipili Falatea, winger Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, centre Kalvin Gourgues, full-back Theo Attissogbe, replacement forward Charles Ollivon and Dupont crossed the whitewash, with a penalty try making it eight scores for the hosts.
They are two points ahead of Ireland in the standings ahead of England’s clash with Australia on Sunday.
Fiji, who started the match with 10 France-based players, including their entire backline, were typically physical but slumped to a fourth straight defeat in the inaugural Nations Championship.
Their much-vaunted backs struggled to fire, although centre Vinaya Habosi beat four defenders to score and Selestino Ravutaumada added a second consolation try.
The Top 14’s most prolific finisher, Jiuta Wainiqolo, who was playing in his adopted home, was unable to make an impact, though.
Neither did France’s own wing wizard, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, although he did set up one try.
– Visibly in pain –
Fiji showed early ambition, turning down a straight-forward three points to kick to touch, but France stole the line-out.
After a breathless and error-strewn start to the game, Gros burrowed over for the opening try on 15 minutes, only his second for France.
That changed the complexion of the game, with France gradually starting to purr.
A penalty try soon followed, with Mesake Vocevoce sent to the sin-bin for collapsing a maul, and then Falatea burst through tacklers to score.
In the phase before Falatea’s score, Ntamack injured his shoulder as he stretched for the line.
The Toulouse playmaker left the field visibly in pain.
Grandidier-Nkanang secured the attacking bonus point before half-time after Vilimoni Botitu, a late change to the Fiji starting XV as Isikeli Rabitu was reportedly sick, spilled the ball in his 22.
The hosts led 26-3 at the break, with Simione Kuruvoli’s penalty Fiji’s only reward.
France, though, were error-prone in the second half and struggled to turn their dominance into points.
It took them 19 minutes to add to their tally, with Gourgues going over in the corner on his first start for Les Bleus.
That seemed to open the floodgates as Bielle-Biarrey sent Attissogbe away for France’s sixth try.
But Habosi struck next out of the blue before Ollivon barged over from close range.
Ravutaumada added a breakaway score but Dupont had the final word…..PACNEWS
FIJI – RUGBY : FIJI SUN PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Tonga eyes Skipper Cup entry
SUVA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—-Rugby officials from one of our Pacific Island nations have approached the Fiji Rugby Union on the possibility of having their team playing in the Skipper Cup competition.
This was revealed to SUNsports by Fiji Rugby Union board chairman John Sanday.
“We have been approached to have a team from Tonga playing in our Skipper Cup and the leader of the consortium was here in Lautoka last week to watch the grand-final and went away very inspired,” he said when asked if our domestic competition is ready to go semiprofessional.
Sanday indicated that in many ways the domestic competition is already semi-professional.
“Match officials are paid and their remuneration structure is very clearly set out and agreed to by all parties.
“Referees, doctors, medics and so on are compulsory for each sanctioned game, they are paid for each week they participate.
“The coaches and players do get some form of weekly allowance from their supporters and union. So in that sense it is already a kind of semi-professional league.”
The former Flying Fijians No.8 said they want to continue building our provincial competition into an elite and fully professional league where players are remunerated properly; there are salary caps put in place and other regulations that a fully professional league must have in place.
“Discussions are happening right now at board level on the commercial shift needed to anchor the league on a commercially sound footing from which we can move to fully professionalise.”
For this season, Sanday said, they had put in place some benchmark, baseline measuring tools from which they can get solid data on which to base their business plan.
“We have started tracking attendance at each Skipper Cup games and revenues.
“For the eleven rounds of the Skipper Cup games, total attendance is just over 155,000 and generating gross revenue of $1.69 million. When we add on the attendance and gate takings from the quarterfinals to the grand finals, we would have easily exceeded $2m in total revenue for the whole season.”
He highlighted given this baseline data, they are able to confidently start a scenario plan the remuneration structure for the players and officials and the revenue streams that can make this league commercially viable.
“This season has shown us that a very strong and competitive provincial competition can be economically viable but the obstacles will remain around the number of grounds and the costs we will pay for hosting our games there.
“Therefore the acquisition of our own grounds in the right locations will be the cornerstone of our push into a properly commercial league where playing rugby is a viable employment pathway for our provincial players.
The other obstacle is whether the crowds will be willing to pay a bit more for admission.
Overall though, there is still much work that has to be done to ensure we strike the right balance where the provincial unions can….PACNEWS
PAC- RUGBY: WORLD RUGBY PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
ROMANIA 38-43 TONGA: Tonga edged out Oaks in enthralling battle
BUCHAREST, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (WORLD RUGBY)—Tonga edged out hosts Romania at the Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest on Friday in the highest-scoring match between the two rivals.
Both sides scored six tries apiece but Tonga’s success gave them a fourth win over the Oaks in seven meetings and marked their second victory from four rounds of the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup.
Tonga captain Fetuli Paea enthused: “Full credit to our boys. They dominated the middle and it’s always tough against Romania in front of their crowd, but we got the win.”
Romania second-row Adrian Motoc reflected: “It was a tough game. We started well but after that we couldn’t get out of our 22. Congrats to Tonga on their win and congrats to us too because, even though we lost, we gave everything.”
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, met the teams ahead of kick-off and the Oaks were fast out of the blocks, Marius Simionescu showing some delightful footwork to weave his way over the line for the opening try.
Tonga fashioned a swift response through second-row Veikoso Poloniati, who dived over in the left corner after good work from winger Anzelo Tuitavuki.
The Tongans struck twice more in quick succession midway through the first half as full-back Taniela Filimone scythed through Romania’s rearguard before he turned provider for winger John Tapueluelu to cross in the right corner.
Yet Romania steadied themselves and hit back with two tries before the break as prop Iulian Hartig broke away from a rolling maul to score before hooker Tudor Butnariu did likewise. A scrum penalty from Patrick Pellegrini, who claimed an all-important 13 points with the boot, sent Tonga in at the break with a slender 22-17 lead and en-route to a first win in Romania since 2017.
Shortly after the interval, Pellegrini’s perfectly-weighted chip was caught and grounded by Anzelo Tuitavuki for Tonga’s fourth try to secure a bonus point. But Romania then scored a fourth try – and third from a maul – through second-row Logan Weidner as the try-fest continued.
Debutant Efitusi Maafu scored Tonga’s fifth try but again Romania responded, prop Gheorghe Gajion – a late call up to the bench after Jean Pierre Smith replaced Cosmin Manole – crossed for Romania. Tomaakino Taufa gave Tonga some breathing space with their sixth try but Gajion claimed his second and Romania’s sixth to set up a tense finale as the visitors held on.
Tonga defeated Romania 43 – 38…. PACNEWS
FRANCE – RUGBY: WORLD RUGBY PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
USA edge thriller against Hong Kong China in dramatic finale to fourth round of World Rugby Nations Cup
BOURGENBRESSE, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (WORLD RUGBY)—-The fourth round of the World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 concluded in dramatic fashion on Sunday as USA beat Hong Kong China in a thrilling encounter in France to set the seal on a gripping weekend of action.
It was a fourth straight win for the Eagles and saw them join Georgia in maintaining a 100 per cent record in this year’s tournament on a weekend which saw Tonga, Portugal, Spain and Samoa also emerge victorious.
HONG KONG CHINA 26-28 USA: Eagles soar after registering fourth straight win
Kaleb Geiger’s dramatic late try handed USA victory and maintained their 100 per cent winning start to the World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 at Stade Marcel-Verchère in Bourg-en-Bresse, France.
The former wrestler came off the bench to barrel over from close range and tie the scores at 26-26 with just four minutes remaining before Christopher Hilsenbeck’s match-winning conversion.
USA captain Jason Damm beamed: “Ultimately it was our resolve that won us the game. There was continued belief that we could get the job done.”
Hong Kong China were not helped by two yellow cards and captain Joshua Hrstich said: “There’s frustration there because we know we’re good enough.
“USA and Georgia are the two form teams in this tournament and we pushed one of them right to the 80th minute. Obviously we’re disappointed but I’m really proud of the group and it was a massive step forward for us.”
Hong Kong China drew first blood when centre Marcus Ramage charged down a kick from USA full-back Perry Mayo before collecting possession and grounding the ball.
Mayo soon atoned for his part in that opening try by getting on the scoresheet himself to draw the Eagles level. He showed impressive strength to touch down from close range after some fine handling from his side.
Moments later, Hong Kong China were reduced to 14 men when winger Harry Sayers was sin-binned for a high tackle on Perry.
USA capitalised by scoring their second try in the 19th minute through Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz. The number eight touched down from close range after excellent work from the Eagles’ pack.
But a stunning individual try from flanker Jack Bartlett put Hong Kong China ahead in exhilarating fashion. Collecting possession on halfway, the forward showed outstanding speed and strength to burst though the USA defence and cross the line.
Hong Kong China led 17-14 at half-time but soon after the restart they lost Hrstich to a yellow card for a high challenge on Hilsenbeck.
A 59th-minute penalty try put the Eagles back ahead but Dylan McCann’s first penalty put Hong Kong China back in front in the 65th minute and his second left USA trailing 26-21.
But Geiger dived over the line with four minutes remaining to level the scores at 26-26 and Hilsenbeck converted superbly to hand USA victory.
GEORGIA 59-14 CANADA: Georgia enjoy home comforts to maintain perfect record
Georgia made home advantage pay by racking up a fourth straight World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 win after comfortably dispatching old adversaries Canada with a bonus-point victory in Tbilisi.
Both sides fought gamely throughout and the hosts led just 24-14 at the break but ultimately ran out emphatic winners in the Georgian capital.
Victorious captain Davit Niniashvili said: “I’m proud of my team and I want to say thank you to all our supporters who were here today. It’s a big motivation for us and we’ll be ready for Tonga next week.”
Canada skipper Lucas Rumball reflected: “Georgia really showed us what it means to have a strong kicking game. They put us under pressure and capitalised on our errors – mine included. We did some good things in the first half but we need to be better.”
Winger Dachi Papunashvili put the Lelos ahead with a smart finish in the left corner as he pounced on a teasing grubber kick from Niniashvili.
But the response from Canada saw them hit back through centre Ben LeSage, who took Jesse Kilgour’s neat short pass and dived over the line.
Canada then lost winger Nic Benn to a 19th-minute yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and Georgia immediately capitalised when Akaki Tabutsadze finished clinically in the right corner.
It was his 53rd try of a distinguished 64-match test career for the all-time leading try-scorer in Georgian rugby history.
Second-row Izzak Kelly replied for Canada with their second but Georgia scored twice more before the break to wrap up the bonus point.
Niniashvili touched down in the 30th minute before Luka Tabatadze scored on the stroke of half-time as the Lelos established a 24-14 interval lead.
After the break, Rumball was shown a yellow card and Georgia were subsequently awarded a penalty try before Beka Gigashvili, Tornike Kakhoidze, Tabutsadze and Vano Karkadze added further scores.
Canada replacement Liam James was hurt in a tackle late on following a collision with Georgia forward Mikheili Shioshvili and was taken off on a stretcher.
PORTUGAL 36-15 CHILE: Os Lobos produce attacking masterclass to defeat Chile
Portugal served up a superb display to clinch their third win from four games after running out comfortable victors over Chile at Estadio do Restelo in Lisbon.
Os Lobos were made to work for their success but ultimately their quality told and
Portugal captain Jose Madeira said: “It meant a lot to play in front of our supporters. Chile are a good side who caused us problems, but we’re looking to get better and better against Samoa next week.”
Chile captain Santiago Videla said: “We knew Portugal are a very good side. We knew our roles and responsibilities but we need to see where we can get better for next week [against Spain].”
It was Chile who struck first when Matias Garafulic collected Felipe Mendez’s delightful offload and raced over in the left corner.
Yet Portugal quickly gained a foothold on proceedings and hit back two minutes later when Manuel Cardoso Pinto seized on scrum-half Samuel Marques’ perfectly-executed grubber kick to score.
Pinto and centre Rodrigo Marta, who is the Top 14’s second-top try-scorer with Pau, both earned their 50th caps for Portugal.
Raimundo Martinez scored Chile’s second but David Wallis’ touchdown sent Portugal in at the break with a slender 17-15 lead before Raffaele Storti with a brace and Andre Cunha added further tries after the break.
SPAIN 18-12 URUGUAY: Los Leones edge out Uruguay in dramatic encounter in Madrid
Spain produced a performance full of grit and determination to narrowly beat Uruguay in the Spanish capital and claim their second win of the tournament.
Buoyed by a partisan home crowd at the Estadio Nacional Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Los Leones had enough to eke out a hard-earned victory.
Highly-rated Uruguay centre Justo Ferrario caught the eye with two tries for Los Teros but Spain were not to be denied as they took the victory with scores from Alejandro Laforga and Gauthier Minguillon.
Spain have never lost to Uruguay on home soil and, although that proud record was tested, ultimately they had enough.
After Uruguay number eight Manuel Diana embarked on a marauding run through the middle, his progress was halted but Ferrario collected possession on the edge of Spain’s 22-metre line.
The promising 20-year-old showed outstanding speed and footwork to weave his way through Los Leones’ defence and mark just his second international appearance with a superb try.
A fast-paced encounter saw Spain began to create openings of their own and it was no surprise when they breached Uruguay’s defence in the 22nd minute.
Their try came when winger Laforga collected a brilliant long pass from fly-half Bautista Guemes to go over in the left corner.
Ferrario scored his second in the 69th minute to put Uruguay on course for victory but Minguillon struck with five minutes remaining to seal a famous win.
That left Uruguay without a win after four games heading into the fifth round of fixtures next week when Spain host Chile in Madrid and Uruguay take on Zimbabwe in Ealing, west London.
ZIMBABWE 7-43 SAMOA: Samoa turn on the style to win emphatically in Wakefield
Samoa showed their class against Zimbabwe to run in seven tries and claim their second win of the tournament in the first-ever meeting between the sides.
In front of a lively crowd at the DIY Kitchens Stadium in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, it was the Samoans who largely dominated proceedings during a formidable display of skill and strength.
Yet the Sables’ spirits never sagged and the scored a late consolation try through Dale Lemon, leaving Zimbabwe captain Hilton Mudariki to say: “Credit to Samoa because they showed their class today. It shows we’ve got a lot to work on, but our fans were amazing so we’ll just keep building.”
Samoa, who named a powerful side with former All Blacks Josh Ioane and Shaun Stevenson making debuts along with AJ Lam and Chris Gabriel, established a commanding 19-0 half-time lead and winger Latrell Ah Kiong scored twice and Peter Umaga-Jensen also touched down.
Samoa led in the seventh minute with an exquisite finish from Ah Kiong who showed outstanding strength and dexterity to touch down acrobatically in the right corner.
It was just reward for their vibrant start and a second try arrived when Ah Kiong doubled his tally with another spectacular finish in the right corner.
Zimbabwe were undone again when Lalomilo Lalomilo intercepted an errant pass and unselfishly offloaded to centre partner Umaga-Jensen to score.
Hooker Richie Asiata was sinbinned but Samoa 19-0 ahead at the break and they cut loose in the second half.
Ben Nee-Nee, Ah Kiong with his hat-trick score, Miracle Faiilagi and debutant Lam all scored for Samoa with Lemon touching down for Zimbabwe, much to the delight of their supporters…..PACNEWS
PAC – FOOTBALL: OFC PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Teretia Teinaki inspired to lead the future of women’s football in the Cook Islands
RAROTONGA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (OFC)—From picking up a football for the first time at age 10 to representing the Cook Islands on the international stage, Teretia Teinaki’s football journey has continued to evolve, and now she is taking her next steps as a leader in the women’s game.
The Cook Islands defender recently graduated from the FIFA Women in Football Leadership Programme, an initiative designed to empower women in football and equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to take on leadership roles within the sport.
Running from January to November 2026, the programme brought together women from across the global football community through a combination of workshops, mentoring and in-person learning. Teretia attended both components of the programme, travelling to Paris, France, before completing the second stage in Rabat, Morocco, during the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026™.
The Morocco gathering brought together 50 participants, including graduates and new participants, alongside FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Dame Sarai Bareman, FIFA Council Member Dr Johanna Wood and representatives from FIFA’s Women’s Football division.
For Teretia, one of the most memorable aspects was hearing the experiences of women from around the world.
“To be honest, it’s probably just listening to all the stories and experiences that my peers have gone through to get to where they are now,” she said.
“Also, another memorable part was going to France and Morocco.”
Having represented the Cook Islands across every age group since her first U-17 call up in 2017, Teretia has earned 13 senior appearances in FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers and the OFC Women’s Nations Cup.
Her involvement in football extends beyond playing, with the qualified referee and coach recently coaching the Cook Islands U-14 Girls Academy squad at the McCartney Tournament in Taupō, New Zealand.
Now, she hopes to bring the lessons from the programme back home.
“One thing I want to bring to my football community is to never say no to any opportunity that rises. Take it on board, whether you think you’re not ready for it.”
Surrounded by women driving change across the game, Teretia said the experience left her inspired to contribute even more to football in the Cook Islands.
“I felt inspired by those around me and inspired to make the change, with the experiences and the knowledge that they shared, using some ideas and filtering it into our own.”….PACNEWS
PAC – FOOTBALL: OFC PACNEWS SPORT: Mon 09 Nov 2026
Tonga Football Association Grassroots League Building the Future of Tongan Football
NUKU’ALOFA, 09 NOVEMBER 2026 (OFC)—The Tonga Football Association’s (TFA) U-12 Grassroots League has emerged as an important foundation for the future of football development in Tonga.
Across the 2026 season, the league has provided regular football opportunities for children, clubs, and communities across the Kingdom to enjoy. Each week players looked forward to the opportunity to wear their uniform, represent their team and feel part of the game.
TFA confirmed a total of 325 registered players comprising of 238 boys and 87 girls. More than 30 additional children have also been part of the programme, with their formal registrations awaiting birth certificates.
TFA Director of Football Jack Reddy says the league has become a valuable development opportunity for the next generation.
“The U-12 League is important because it gives our young players regular football opportunities and allows us to see their development over time. It also helps us connect grassroots football with our future academy and TDS pathway,” says TFA Director of Football Jack Reddy.
The league reflects TFA’s work in creating a high-standard matchday environment in Tonga, where each week provides opportunity for those involved to better understand what makes a match-day experience special for all, where standards, behaviour and enjoyment are part of the development process.
“The most pleasing part has been seeing players and teams improve across the season. Some teams that found it difficult early on are now more confident and competitive,” comments TFA Grassroots Development Officer Lui Muavesi.
The strength of the league has come through strong internal collaboration between TFA departments, with football development, refereeing, competitions, coaching, and operational support working together to deliver a high level experience.
The U-12 League is also becoming a practical development platform helping support the future of Tonga’s Mataliki and Tuʻulalupe pathways.
“What Tonga FA is building through the U-12 League is an important example of why player development must begin earlier and be sustained over time. Future national-team players need regular, positive, development-focused football environments from a young age,” says OFC Player Development Officer, Phill Parker.
An encouraging sign has been the development of teams across the season, with sides who experienced heavy defeats earlier in the competition now becoming more competitive, drawing or winning matches. This reflects the deeper purpose of the league to not only produce results, but build confidence and encourage resilience.
Another key aspect has been the growth of girls’ participation, with a minimum of three female players required on the field at any time for each team. Despite facing challenges with female participation in Tonga, the league is now seeing more than 40 girls involved each week, ensuring players are actively involved in the game. Overall, 87 girls are registered in the league, alongside 238 boys.
“For the players and families, the pathway must feel real. A child should be able to start in school or community football, play in the U-9 or U-12 League, move into academy training if ready, and still feel connected to their club, family and community along the way,” adds Parker.
The importance of the U12 League is that it gives Tonga a real foundation to build from. When connected to coach education, academy training, regional centres, national youth leagues and TDS, it becomes more than a competition — it becomes part of a wider national player development system.
The league is also helping TFA strengthen the importance of beginning player development early, with planning underway for a U-9 League in 2027. The longer development timeline becomes important in building stronger U-15, U-16, Mataliki and Tuʻulalupe players, having a pathway that starts earlier, giving more time to learn, grow, and develop the habits required for future success.
The younger age-group interest is already evident: 46 registered U-9 players are taking part in the U-12 League, including eight girls and 38 boys. This provides a practical starting point for the planned U-9 competition in 2027.
TFA is already connecting the U-12 League into academy and talent development structures, with the U-12 Academy currently training twice per week for both male and female players. Through the work of Lui Muavesi and Shinsuke Ogiso, elite players from the academy can be recommended for integration into TFA’s Talent Development Scheme (TDS) programmes.
Following the U-12 League, 32 U-12 Academy players have begun their transition into futsal training and games. Their first training session has taken place, with games scheduled on Thursdays and the programme continuing until the end of November 2026.
Looking ahead, TFA is also planning to strengthen the academy model through four regional U-12 Academy centres. The purpose of these centres is to generate greater interest in high-level training and provide more opportunity for players and coaches across the community.
For Tonga, the opportunity is clear: the future Mataliki and Tuʻulalupe players are not only found at older age groups. They are being shaped now, in grassroots environments where they can play regularly, feel supported, learn the game, and develop a love for football….PACNEWS
