2023 Week 2 Pacific Championships - Teams and Game Day

[The Greenhouse]

Very long break in play, hip drop tackle has produced a serious injury for Pasikala.

Tongan player Ilaisaane Taufa sent off.

[The Greenhouse]

47th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Abigail Roache. Hat trick. It was just too hard for the 12 women Tongan team to hold them out wide. McGregor cannot convert from the sideline.

New Zealand 20-6

Tonga kick off is out on the full.

[The Greenhouse]

18 mins to go TRY NEW ZEALAND to Annessa Biddle. McGregor kicks cross field, and it looked like a poor kick... but the ball bounced perfectly for Biddle. Raecene McGregor cannot convert.

New Zealand 24-6

[The Greenhouse]

14 mins to go TRY TONGA to half Tiana Penitani, running wide. Her second try of the afternoon. No conversion.

New Zealand 24-10

[The Greenhouse]

11 mins to go TRY NEW ZEALAND to Mele Hufanga, running wide... and no stopping her on the charge. McGregor cannot convert from out wide, again.

New Zealand 28-10

[The Greenhouse]

FULL TIME

New Zealand Kiwi Ferns 28
Mate Ma'a Tonga 10

MATCH REPORT: Roache bags three as Kiwi Ferns down Tonga



A hat-trick from centre Abigail Roache led the Kiwi Ferns to a 28-10 victory over a Tonga side who played the final half hour a player down following a send off.

Interchange forward Ilaisaane Taufa was marched by referee Wyatt Raymond following a hip-drop style tackle, which saw Roosters and Kiwi Ferns forward Amelia Pasikala taken from the field at Eden Park with a suspected broken leg.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/10/21/roa ... own-tonga/





GALLERY: New Zealand v Tonga: https://www.gettyimages.com.au/photos/k ... =776020116

[The Greenhouse]

Next up, Canberra Raiders centre Matt Timoko makes his Kiwis debut! Joe Tapine also at lock for New Zealand.

Here are the final teams:

New Zealand

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Ronaldo Mulitalo 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Joseph Manu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Dylan Brown 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Fa'amanu Brown 10. Moses Leota 11. Isaiah Papali'i 12. Briton Nikora 13. Joseph Tapine

14. Kieran Foran 15. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 16. Griffin Neame 17. Leo Thompson

18. Naufahu Whyte

Samoa

1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Murray Taulagi 4. Marion Seve 21. Tommy Talau 20. Greg Marzhew 6. Stephen Crichton 7. Daejarn Asi 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 10. Junior Paulo 11. Luciano Leilua 16. Heilum Luki 14. Spencer Leniu

13. Keenan Palasia 15. Terrell May 18. Royce Hunt 19. Ronald Volkman

17. Justin Matamua

Live scores right here from 4:00pm AEDT. Broadcast on Nine and Fox League.

[The Greenhouse]

Samoa is ready in the tunnel, the Kiwis are still in the sheds, keeping Samoa waiting. They're keeping everyone waiting. The dancers in the centre of the field not quite sure what to do. Here comes New Zealand now. Both teams head onto the field, side by side.

The crowd seems to be predominantly Samoan, a sea of red and blue flags. Sadly the northern inner bowl nowhere near full, upper tiers clearly not put on sale in the northern stand. At Eden Park, the teams run east-west and vice versa.

[The Greenhouse]

Now for the national anthems. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad overcome with emotion during the Kiwis anthem.

Next the Siva Tau and haka.

[The Greenhouse]

That was awesome! Now for some footy!

Kiwis kick off, we're underway!

[The Greenhouse]

10th min Samoa have been strong in the opening 10 minutes, a very excited crowd. Still no scores. Very intense start.

[The Greenhouse]

12th min Matt Timoko saves a dangerous situation, foiling an intercept by Stephen Crichton.

[The Greenhouse]

14th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to winger Jamayne Isaako, set up by a great cut out pass from Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Samoa tried to intercept, but couldn't. That was really the first opportunity for the Kiwis to score. Isaako converts.

New Zealand 6-0

[The Greenhouse]

17th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Ronaldo Mulitalo. Great offload from Joe Tapine to set it in motion in the middle of the field. Great pass from Timoko to the winger to set it up... but NO! Mulitalo's arm goes out before the ball is grounded. The bunker overturns. NO TRY!

[The Greenhouse]

Joe Tapine having a little tête-à-tête with Marzhew in the middle.

[The Greenhouse]

19th min Samoa challenge a knock on call, and the bunker rules it is knocked on first by Matt Timoko. Both Raiders have been very involved so far.

[The Greenhouse]

21st min Fantastic regather from Matt Timoko and a fantastic run and pass sets the winger on the other side of the field away.

[The Greenhouse]

23rd min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Jahrome Hughes under the posts. What a pass from Joe Tapine to set it up! WHAT A PASS! It was all initiated by the Timoko run from the other end of the field. Converted Isaako. That was exciting footy.

New Zealand 12-0

[Sid]

That was an epic set of 6 !
Started with a run from timoko

Sent from my SM-S911B using Tapatalk

[The Greenhouse]

The crowd seems to have really built up since the start of the match.

[The Greenhouse]

25th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Jamayne Isaako. Brilliant running down the right edge. This is superb football from New Zealand. Isaako converts.

New Zealand 18-0

[The Greenhouse]

Former Raider Leo Thompson is on for his Kiwis debut.

[The Greenhouse]

HALF TIME

New Zealand Kiwis 18
Toa Samoa 0

Great half of football, despite what appears to be a lop sided score line. Tapine and Timoko just outstanding.

[The Greenhouse]

We're back underway in the second half.

[The Greenhouse]

45th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Nelson Asofa-Solomona. He crashes over and momentum gets him to the line, no double movement. Jamayne Isaako converts.

New Zealand 24-0

[The Greenhouse]

49th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Isaiah Papali'i, chasing the short kick to the in goal from Jahrome Hughes. This is a shame for Samoa, in that they certainly came ready to play today. But they haven't been able to keep up so far in the second half. Isaako can't convert. Hits a post.

New Zealand 28-0

[The Greenhouse]

This was epic.

[The Greenhouse]

58th min Try for Samoa is disallowed due to obstruction... and the largely Samoan crowd is going to riot! Not really, but they were so happy when they went in. The cheering lifted the roof.

[The Greenhouse]

61st min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Ronaldo Mulitalo in the corner, Matt Timoko will get the try assist. It was very nearly after Manu scooped up a loose ball, but a penalty followed and the Kiwis scored on the next play. No conversion Isaako.

New Zealand 32-0

[The Greenhouse]

64th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Briton Nikora. Matt Timoko did everything but score a try on the earlier play. He has been outstanding on debut. Wonderful. Doesn't look like a try on replay, the ball didn't find the line, but the bunker confirmed. Converted.

New Zealand 38-0

[The Greenhouse]

Despite the score, this has been a terrific game. Samoa still going at it hammer and tongs. The two teams are still very intense and fiery and the crowd is just desperate for Samoa to score, willing them to get over the line.

[The Greenhouse]

74th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Ronaldo Mulitalo in the corner, and Matt Timoko gets his second try assist of the game. Isaako converts from the sideline. The Kiwis have just been terrific today, and it should be a great contest against the Kangaroos next week.

New Zealand 44-0

[The Greenhouse]

77th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to James Fisher Harris, off a great pass from Jahrome Hughes. Converted.

New Zealand 50-0

[The Greenhouse]

FULL TIME

New Zealand Kiwis 50
Toa Samoa 0

MATCH REPORT: New Zealand Kiwis deliver statement win



The New Zealand Kiwis have produced a dominant 50-0 win over Samoa in their Pacific Championships clash at Eden Park on Saturday. Playing their first game since a narrow defeat to Australia in last year's World Cup semi final, New Zealand's combination of power through the middle and quality work from their outside backs was simply irrepressible as Samoa struggled to generate sustained attacking pressure or go-forward.

Captain James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and Joseph Tapine all starred early on for the Kiwis – along with a try-scoring Nelson Asofa-Solomona off the bench – with a blockbuster clash against the likes of Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Payne Haas on the cards next week when they face Australia in Melbourne.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/10/21/jam ... ement-win/





GALLERY: New Zealand v Samoa: https://www.gettyimages.com.au/photos/n ... =776020115

[PNGRaider37]

64th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Briton Nikora. Matt Timoko did everything but score a try on the earlier play. He has been outstanding on debut. Wonderful. Doesn't look like a try on replay, the ball didn't find the line, but the bunker confirmed. Converted.

New Zealand 38-0

Imagine if Timoko got more clean ball wearing green!