April 11th 2018
SPORT
She has a name: Feagaiga Stowers wins Gold for Samoa
Feagaiga Stowers joins a handful of other Pacific peers in winning medals for their respective countries, having securing Gold. LAUMATA LAUANO weighs in on why the reporting of Stowers' win being born only from Kiwi weightlifter Laurel Hubbard’s withdrawal is problematic.
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April 4th 2018
SPORT
Tongan flagbearer - female boxer
The selection of a female boxer to be Tonga's flag bearer at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony was not a political decision, reports RNZ Pacific
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November 30th 2017
SPORT
Tongan Darlings of the RLWC 2017
As the Tongan league team are welcomed home in the Kingdom to be invested with an award of the Royal Orders by King Tupou VI, there’s no denying that Tonga came to the World Cup and conquered, even if they didn’t walk away with the cup. MATA LAUANO reflects on the team's highs and lows
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November 6th 2017
SPORT
Tongan league team takes win and fans take to South Auckland streets
Despite a jovial stadium crowd following a fair game, where Samoans and Tongans supported their respective teams beautifully in Hamilton, there were 29 arrests in South Auckland as Tongan fans attacked each other.
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October 31st 2017
SPORT
RLWC2017: How the Pacific are faring
As Mate Ma'a Tonga fans flood the streets of Otahuhu and the arrival gates of the Auckland International Airport, let’s look at how the Rugby League World Cup #RLWC2017 tournament is going so far, and where our #Pacific teams are placed.
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October 6th 2017
SPORT
The National Sport of Tuvalu - Te Ano
With the help of our friends at Te Papa and Tagata Pasifika let’s look at how to play Te Ano, the national game of Tuvalu. A bit like volleyball Te Ano is played with a harder, tougher, ball that could blacken your eye if you’re not careful.
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September 27th 2017
SPORT
Celebrate with the World Champion Black Ferns
Celebrate with the five-time Women’s Rugby World Cup winners the Black Ferns at a free public event at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau this Thursday, Sept 28.
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September 25th 2017
SPORT
Joseph Parker still WBO heavyweight champion
Joseph Parker beat mandatory challenger Hughie Fury by a majority points decision to retain his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) heavyweight title, which Fury side is looking to contest
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August 28th 2017
SPORT
Black Ferns claim fifth world cup title- watch the match highlights
In a thrilling Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 final the Black Ferns triumphed over England 41-32 at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast to claim their fifth world cup title - watch the highlights below!
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August 23rd 2017
SPORT
Black Ferns to play England in WRWC 2017 Final
The Black Ferns, for the fourth time in Women's Rugby World Cup history, will face off against England in the final for a shot at their fifth World Cup title.
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August 18th 2017
SPORT
Pacific and Womens Rugby League to be highlighted in Hamilton
Pacific and Womens Rugby League will be highlighted in Hamilton with first ever international match played in the city, with the Kiwi ferns playing Wahine Toa in the curtain raiser.
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August 10th 2017
SPORT
Black Ferns thrash Wales in World Cup opener
The most successful world cup team, the Black Ferns, open their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign with a huge victory over Wales in Dublin 44-12. Watch the match highlights below
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July 17th 2017
Sports
New Pacific rugby partnership kicks off
A new sporting partnership will promote healthy lifestyles and encourage teenagers in the Pacific to take part in sport.
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July 14th 2017
Sports
Pasifika Challenged Photo Essay Preview
Let's take a look at how the Pacific community lit up Eden Park at the pre-Lions warm up test on June 16 when the Manu Samoa played the mighty All Blacks and the Ikale Tahi (Tonga) took on Wales.
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July 12th 2017
Sports
Humpday highlights: Pacific Nations Cup Rounds 1 and 2
Check out the highlights from Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2017 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup below as Fiji qualifies for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Samoa and Tonga still in competition for second Oceania qualifying spot.
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February 17th 2017
Sports
Tongan Skier eyeing the 2018 Winter Olympics fails to finish
Less than a year away from the Winter Olympics in South Korea Tongan-English Kasete Naufahu Skeen, who transformed his life completely in a bid to represent Tonga in Alpine Skiing, was unable to achieve a result on his debut at the Alpine World Ski Champs in St Moritz.
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January 24th 2017
Sports
Tongan football champs set to bounce back
Tongan football club champions Veitongo FC are looking forward to a much better showing at this year's Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Champions League Preliminary in Nuku'alofa.
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December 15th 2016
Sports
First woman on NZ Rugby Board
Dr Farah Palmer, a former Black Fern, is the first woman to be appointed to the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) board in its 124-year history following the recent retirement of Maori representative Wayne Peters.
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November 9th 2016
Sports
New Study Focuses on the Mental Health of Pacific Sports Stars
New research will examine the factors affecting the mental health and wellbeing of young Pacific male elite athletes.
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August 19th 2016
Weightlifting
Kiribati Olympic Weightlifter Dances off Stage to Raise Awareness of Climate Change
105kg weightlifter David Katoatau from Kiribati surprised the Rio crowd when he danced off stage following his Olympic Games effort.
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August 12th 2016
Rugby Sevens
Fiji’s first ever medal at the Olympics: gold!
The Fiji men's rugby sevens team has won the country its first ever Olympic gold medal, taking out Great Britain during the final in a stunning 43-7 victory.
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July 20th 2016
Rugby League
League takes centre stadium in Hawaii with Ohana Cup and Rugby League Festival
Hawaii, an island that’s traditionally been entrenched in American Football, will host a two-day Rugby League Festival where teams will play for the Ohana Cup at Aloha Stadium in August.
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July 8th 2016
Rugby
Canterbury rugby player suspended for racist slur to Fijian opponent
The Human Rights Commission welcomes Canterbury Rugby Football Union’s move to penalise a Canterbury rugby for 40 weeks after making racist remarks to a Fijian player on the opposing team.
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July 7th 2016
Football
Standout Samoan New Zealand footballer Bill Tuiloma
In an article for Vice Sports (in partnership with NIKEiD and photographed by Ben Clement) Bill Tuiloma talks to Vice about life as the first New Zealander playing top division French football and making an international reputation as a hard working player.
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July 1st 2016
Olympics
Samoan seasonal worker unaware he’d qualified for Rio Olympics
Abner Waterhouse came from Samoa to the Hawke’s Bay as a seasonal worker part of the RSE scheme working community.
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June 28th 2016
Football
US Football Legends in NZ
Polynesian American football legends Jesse Sapolu and Ma’a Tanuvasa will feature in the upcoming Issue 68 of SPASIFIK magazine following their Polynesian Football of Fame Goodwill Tour of Samoa, New Zealand and Australia
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June 27th 2016
Rugby
Samoa wins over Tonga in PNC
Samoa’s 30-10 win against Tonga, in the final match of the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup 2016 coming in at second place behind Fiji, places them on course for a place at Rugby World Cup 2019.
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June 8th 2016
Football
Polynesian Football HOF Goodwill Tour coming to Auckland
The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame’s Goodwill Tour will be in Auckland this week from the 9th to the 11th of June with a free event at the Kolmar Sports Complex in Papatoetoe on the 10th.
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June 7th 2016
Wrestling
Peter Maivia posthumously inducted into Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson paid tribute to his late grandfather, via his Instagram, with a picture of Maivia and a tribute to the man who helped put Samoa on the map and was recently inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.
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May 13th 2016
Sevens Rugby
Manu Samoa Sevens take up Running Man Challenge…in Paris
In the video uploaded to their official facebook page, various members of the Manu Samoa Sevens squad are seen doing the running man (the new move, not the original) around Paris, from around their hotel to on the field.
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May 10th 2016
Rugby league
Samoan players received no match payments for their game against Tonga
Samoa Rugby League coach Matt Parish has criticised those in charge of international rugby league at the NRL, calling them "weak".
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May 4th 2016
Rugby
Kangaroos may introduce war dance in 2017
The Australian rugby league team are looking to introduce a war dance for when Australia and New Zealand host the next rugby league World Cup in 2017.
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May 2nd 2016
News
Mens NZ Sevens trialists for Olympics named
The 16 NZ Sevens players will compete for spots on the Rio Olympics Sevens Squad and will all be playing during the final legs of the Sevens World Series in Paris and London this May.
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April 27th 2016
Rugby
SBW and The Rock Banter about Rugby
Sonny Bill Williams (SBW) and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson banter over Twitter about the Rock joining the All Blacks’ Sevens Team to cover for injured players.
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April 11th 2016
Boxing
Parker’s final battle on home ground – at least for a while
Joseph Parker's IBF heavyweight title elimination bout against Carlos Takam will be held less than 10 kilometres from where he grew up in Mangere, at Manukau's Vodafone Events Centre.
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March 24th 2016
Opinion
Head-On
The impact of contact sports on the brain will have a growing long-term impact on the lives of those who participate, many of who are of Polynesian descent. INNES LOGAN reflects on his own experience of getting smashed and wonders how today’s top players will fear in the future as their codes become harder and faster.
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March 10th 2016
Cricket
As the Crowe flies
SPASIFIK publisher INNES LOGAN laments the passing of New Zealand cricket legend Martin Crowe and recalls the time he worked with him to promote Max Cricket, which would become the precursor to T20 today.
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February 16th 2016
Rugby
All Black Confronts Anger Issues
All Black Malakai Fekitoa has been praised for openly admitting anger issues.
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January 27th 2016
Boxing
David Tua - Almost Was
Boxing trainer Kevin Barry says David Tua lacked the dedication his current fighter Joseph Parker has to win the world heavyweight title. SPASIFIK publisher INNES LOGAN believes his lack of height and reach and coming from a small island in the Pacific didn’t help either.
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November 30th 2015
Basketball
Steven Adams The Kiwi Way
The Oklahoma City Thunder's New Zealand centre Steven Adams is well known on the NBA scene for his unique Kiwi personality.
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November 24th 2015
Rugby
All Black legend Jonah Lomu to be farewelled at Eden Park
A public service for Jonah Lomu will be held at Eden Park on Monday November 30, Prime Minister John Key has announced.
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November 19th 2015
Adventure
Adventurer at Heart
Samoan World Champion Adventure Racer Nathan Fa’avae has released an outstanding book on his stunning career.
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November 18th 2015
Rugby
All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu dies aged 40
All Blacks legend and rugby’s first global superstar Jonah Lomu has died, aged 40. The giant Tongan, who was born and raised in South Auckland, featured regularly in SPASIFIK magazine, most recently in 2013 when an updated edition of Jonah – My Story was published featuring his ongoing battle to stay alive.
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November 18th 2015
UFC
Born to fight – Mark Hunt’s story of survival
UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt the Super Samoan knocked Antonio Silva out in the first round of their rematch in Melbourne earlier this week- putting him back on the upward move in the rankings.
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November 12th 2015
Rugby
All Blacks pay their respects to Jerry Collins with the Webb Ellis Cup
The Webb Ellis Cup is in Wellington, and its first stop has been the resting place of a very special All Blacks legend.
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November 5th 2015
Rugby
Jerome Kaino, My Story
Jerome Kaino, star of the All Blacks’ triumphant double Rugby World Cup campaign, is rare among the many Samoans to have worn the silver fern in that he was born in American Samoa. But his time in the US territory was brief as his parents soon decided New Zealand was the place of opportunity. In an exclusive extract from his biography Jerome Kaino, My Story he details his journey and how living on the southside of the world’s largest Polynesian city shaped his future in the chapter South Auckland.
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November 5th 2015
Rugby
A feast of rugby books released with the hype of the 2015 RWC
With the excitement of the 2015 Rugby World Cup this year a feast of rugby books have been released. Below we preview some of the many rugby books released.
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November 4th 2015
Rugby
Jerome Up Front
Jerome Kaino was the All Blacks’ leading performer when they won the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup. Following the release of his autobiography he speaks to INNES LOGAN about their prospects defending the title, Samoa, Fats, school rugby and new Blues coach Tana Umaga
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