Photo: Oceania Rugby
Football – Brian Kaltak
Vanuatu national captain Brian Kaltak has become the first Pacific player to win an A-League winners’ medal after his Central Coast Mariners side defeated Melbourne City in Saturday’s grand final.
Jason Cummings scored a hat-trick in the 6-1 drubbing of the Melbourne City, which finished first in the regular season.
It caps a remarkable season for 29-year-old Kaltak in his very first professional season.
Kaltak started the final in his usual centre-back role.
The success will have delighted his fans in Vanuatu, where the game was shown live.
Rugby – Oceania title
Manusina Samoa created an upset in the Oceania Women’s Ruby Championship in Brisbane last night when they defeated the Fijiana Drua for the first time in the decider 19-18.
Fijiana lost the championship for the first time since 2019.
Cassie Siataga was Samoa’s star, kicking the winning penalty on full-time and scoring all of her side’s 19 points.
That win also gave Samoa the right to play in the Women’s World XV Tier 2 competition later this year while Fiji will compete in WXV 3.
“Honestly, I’m really speechless,” Manusina captain Sui Pauaraisa said at the post-match media conference.
“We knew that we were the underdogs, we knew we had nothing to lose.
“We knew that Fiji was going to be our test throughout this whole tournament and that they were the champs from the Super W, and they beat us last year.”
Tonga wrapped up a bonus-point 30-22 win against Papua New Guinea despite being reduced to 14 players for the final 14 minutes.
Rugby – Drua
Nine players will bid farewell to the Fijian Drua at the end of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.
The players are Kaliopasi Uluilakepa, Chris Minimbi, Raikabula Momoedonu, Rusiate Nasove, Joseva Tamani, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Kalione Nasoko, Sorovakatini Tuifagalele, and Kitione Taliga.
FBC Sports reports two out of the nine will leave for overseas clubs while seven did not have their contracts renewed.
Fijian Drua Chief Executive Mark Evans thanked the nine for their contribution over the past two years.
The departing players were acknowledged at the final Drua home match this season, against the Queensland Reds in Suva on Saturday.
Athletics – Oceania Cup
More than 100 athletes are set to take part in the Oceania Cup athletics event in Saipan, Northern Mariana Island, from June 22 to 24.
Under the format, athletes will be representing regions – Micronesia, Polynesia, and Melanesia, the Northern Marianas and Australia.
The event provides an opportunity to qualify for the Budapest World Championships and Paris Olympics, with the same number of ranking points as the 2023 Pacific Games.