Vanuatu women's rugby league team to the Pacific Games. Photo: Vanuatu Athletes Commission
Solomon Islands - AFP
One hundred officers from the Australia Federal Police (AFP) have arrived in Honiara, ahead of the opening ceremonies of the 2023 Pacific Games this weekend.
The officers will join their comrades who are already in Honiara to support the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) on the security operation for the Pacific Games.
The AFP said in their statement a request was received from the Solomon Islands government for assistance.
Australia had also supported a contingent of Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary officers who are in the Solomon Islands to assist with the security operation for the Pacific Games.
The Games will open on 19 November end on 2 December.
Vanuatu rugby - women's
Vanuatu is ready to send their first ever national women's rugby team to the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reports Vanuatu Rugby League president Antonio Korikalo saying it was a big achievement for the sport in the country.
Players were presented with their Games outfit in Port Vila on Saturday.
Vanuatu will be competing for medals against teams such as the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and the Cook Islands.
Vanuatu women's rugby league team to the Pacific Games. Photo: Vanuatu Athletes Commission
Wallis and Futuna - squad
The full Wallis and Futuna squad will arrive in Honiara on Wednesday November 15 and will be accommodated at the Solomon Islands National University.
Team Wallis and Futuna's Chef De Mission Polelei Valetino was the first to arrive in Solomon Islands, Honiara in advance of his team.
Valetino was welcomed by the Games Organising Committee and Pacific Games Association at the Henderson International Airport last Thursday.
Valetino told the Games Media team that they have a 88-member squad, which includes athletes and team coaches.
They will be competing in seven sports.
Fiji - boxer
Fiji boxer Nehal Chand, an Information Systems and Computer Science student at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, is excited about participating at the upcoming Pacific Games in Honiara.
Chand told The Fiji Times he was proud to be representing Fiji.
He joins newcomers Daniel Chand, Samisoni Goneiwai, Aminiasi Saratibau, and Josaia Veiqaravi as part of Team Fiji competing in their first Pacific Games.
They are joined by the experienced 2019 silver medallist Jone Davule Koroilagilagi and soldier Elia Rokobuli.
Team Fiji boxing is coached by well-known New Zealand trainer Cameron Todd.
Football - draws
The draw for the Pacific Games football competition in Solomon Islands has been completed with twelve countries to contest for medals in the men's competition and 10 in the women's division.
The Games Organizing Committee announced the fixtures on Tuesday, with the teams placed by current FIFA rankings.
In the men's competition Group A includes New Caledonia, Tonga and the Cook Islands; Group B has Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tuvalu.
In Group C Tahiti will take on Fiji and the Northern Marianas while the hosts Solomon Islands have Samoa and American Samoa in Group D.
For the women's, Group A features Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, New Caledonia and American Samoa.
Group B includes Tonga, Tahiti and Samoa and Group C sees Fiji pooled alongside Vanuatu and hosts Solomon Islands.
Football will be the first sport to get underway for the games in Honiara starting on Friday, two days before the opening ceremony.
Vanuatu - soccer
Vanuatu's Ifira Black Bird (IBB) Football Club players Timothy Loic Boulet and Jordy Tasip have been recruited by the Auckland City Football Club in New Zealand.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reported that Boulet had left Port Vila on last Monday for Auckland.
The player had played for Ifira at the Oceania Football Confederation Champions League earlier this year where they had faced Auckland City.
Both players, who are on free transfers until 31 December 2023 are included in the Auckland City Football Club's squad list for the 2023 season.
The club also list Tasip as having a market value of €50,000.
Timothy Loic Boulet and Jordy Tasip Photo: Oceania Football Centre
Dubai 7s - draws
Fiji and Samoa have their work cut out for them at the upcoming Dubai 7s tournament in December.
In the men's competition, Samoa is pooled with New Zealand, Canada and South Africa in Pool A while Fiji is grouped with United States of America, France and Great Britain.
Fijiana is pooled with New Zealand, South Africa and Great Britain in Pool A of the women's competition.
New Zealand is the defending champion in both the men's and women's competitions.
The Dubai 7s will be held from 2-3 December.
