David Kirk Photo: Photosport
Rugby
The Pasifika Rugby Council will now have two votes under the New Zealand Rugby constitution.
NZ Rugby chair David Kirk said the decision recognises the immense contribution Pasifika players, coaches, administrators, volunteers, and communities make to rugby in New Zealand.
The Pasifika Rugby Council will have voting rights at general meetings, having a say on matters ranging from approval of financial statements through to the ratification of board members and election of officers.
The Pasifika Rugby Council will replace Tausoa Fa'atasi (Pasifika Advisory Group) in NZ Rugby's Board appointment process.
Rugby
The Australia Rugby Union is waiting on Samoa to sign a multimillion-dollar funding agreement that will see teams from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga compete in Australia's domestic competition.
Fiji and Tonga have both signed the agreement, but Samoa is yet to do that.
RNZ Pacific has reached out to the office of the Prime Minister in Apia for clarification on why the funding agreement has not been signed.
ABC Pacific reported Samoa Prime Minister La'aulialemalietoa Polataivao Schmidt is delaying signing the agreement because he wants former PM, Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, to resign as chairman of Lakapi Samoa.
Football
Fiji's Bula Football Club have signed their first player ahead of the 2026 OFC Pro League.
FBC News reported veteran Rewa FC defender Gabiriele Matanisiga has signed with the professional outfit.
Matanisiga is a current Fiji national representative, and helped Rewa win the local Inter District Championship title in October and the Pacific Cup in Auckland.
Bula FC will meet Vanuatu United FC in Auckland on 17 January, 2026 in their opening game.
League
Papua New Guinea's Prime MinisterJames Marape has praised the Penrith Panthers club as a world-class model of sporting excellence.
Marape said his country - which is poised to enter a team in Australia's NRL - can learn a lot from Penrith's development programme and commercial sustainability.
Marape toured the Panthers' high-performance facilities on Monday, and thanked them for their willingness to share knowledge and systems with PNG.
Marape said he was impressed that the Panthers invest heavily in junior and elite player development.
The PNG Chiefs will enter the NRL competition in 2028.
Rugby
The World Rugby Executive Board has recommended a law change for a lower tackle height in the community game.
It would mean a tackle would need to be made at the level of a player's sternum or lower.
World Rugby said the move was proposed by the 11 unions who have been participating in trials over the last 18 months.
While still subject to further independent peer review, trials showed "high" contacts in community rugby reduced by 8 per cent in men's rugby and 10 per cent in women's rugby.
The World Rugby Council will now consider the recommendation in June, with the possibility of it becoming full law for the community game on 1 July 2026.
