Australia

Samoa PM downplays Tuvalu tension

He said the tension was to be expected.

The Samoa Observer reported Tuila'epa saying the leaders' retreat at the forum summit was a place where leaders were encouraged to have frank exchanges of ideas to resolve difficult issues confronting the region.

Part of the tension in Tuvalu was the way Australia drove its perspectives home by reminding leaders of the aid Canberra had provided the region, he said.

But Australia should pay attention to climate change for its own benefit, Tuilaepa said.

Call for Australia to be cut from Pacific Forum over coal

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Mr Tong saying if a country causes harm to others, such as by fuelling climate change, "there should be sanctions".

Mr Tong, who has long been an advocate for low-lying nations facing catastrophe as sea levels rise, said the Australian government's recent approval of Adani's Carmichael coal mine was an example of "ignoring the science that's coming forward".

Australia says its committed to addressing climate change

Last week a number of Pacific nations signed a declaration calling for greater action against what they called a "Climate Crisis" and an end to coal mining.

Palau's President Tommy Remengesau Junior also made a plea for Australia to take further climate action and the environmental NGO Greenpeace said the country should step aside from engaging in the region, if it wasn't going to change its policies around coal and energy.

Feagai Twins have made it into the Australian schoolboys team

The twins descend from a family legacy of rugby greatness in Samoa.

Their father Fiapopo Feagai was a champion sprinter in 1988 for Samoa College and captained the Samoa College 1st XV.

He later represented Aana District in the local National Provincial Competition (NPC) in Samoa.

Faipopo Feagai is from Fasitoo-uta and Matautu-tai in Apia. His wife Rosa Simeti Feagai is also from Fasitoo-uta and Leulumoega.

Wallabies secure important win as All Black challenges loom

The Wallabies' scrum dominated the Pumas' and player of the match Will Genia, Kurtley Beale and comeback king Christian Leali'ifano put on an assured kicking display not seen for a long time from an Australian Test team.

Most pleasing was Australia's defence, keeping the Pumas try-less until the 74th minute with disciplined, patient defence in front of an appreciative 31,559 crowd at the iconic Brisbane ground.

"Really pleasing, we love coming up here ... really pleased with our play and how we bounced back from a short week's turnaround," captain Michael Hooper said.

Diamonds beat Silver Ferns in cliffhanger

Australia have dominated New Zealand in recent times, winning seven of eight clashes since the start of 2018.

But the Silver Ferns are a new-look unit and refused to give up after being down by as many as nine goals at one point.

Coach Noeline Taurua started with her strongest line-up, with Maria Folau at GS and Ameliaranne Ekenasio at GA.

It was fairly evenly poised early on but the Diamonds ended the first quarter with a burst, leading 13-10 at the first break.

Australia sets new record in men’s 400 metres

Australia’s Steven Solomon has broken a 22-year-old Pacific Games record in the men’s 400 metres after he came first with a time of 45.62seconds.

The previous record of 46.42 was set by Fiji’s, Koloveni Koroi back in 1997.

Papua New Guinea’s Daniel Baul came second in 47.31 and team mate Benjamin Aliel finished third in 47.63.

PNG continued to be favourites after Toea Wisil sprinted to her 13th Pacific Games gold medal.

The newly crowned 100m champion, who first competed at the Pacific Games in Samoa in 2007, earned the women’s 400m title in 53.90.

Australia, NZ voted onto Pacific Games Council

The Trans Tasman neighbours were first invited to compete in four sports at the 2015 Games in Papua New Guinea, with that number doubling to eight sports for the current Games in Samoa.

But the CEO of the Pacific Games Council, Andrew Minogue said under that arrangement both countries, who also took a limited part in the 2017 Mini Games, had no standing at all in the Council framework and constitution.

"What we did today was we formally admitted both Olympic Committees as associate members of the Council, so they now have a much easier pathway to competing. "

Australia clinch semi-final spot

The reigning champions secured a sixth win from seven games by claiming a 64-run triumph at Lord's, Finch scoring 100 in their 285-7 before Australia's seamers starred, dismissing England for 221 inside 45 overs.

Finch (100) was part of a 123-run opening stand with David Warner (53) but Australia did not build on their early momentum having been 185-2 in the 36th over, with middle-order trio Steve Smith (38), Glenn Maxwell (12) and Marcus Stoinis (8) all unable to kick on.

CWC preview: England v Australia

The identity of the top four appeared to be a foregone conclusion at one stage, only for the tournament hosts to slip up against Sri Lanka at Headingley last Friday.

A surprise 20-run loss in Leeds means England are suddenly under a spot of pressure, though Morgan showed few signs of nerves when speaking to the media on the eve of Tuesday's clash with the Australians.

"Primarily it's trying to keep things as simple as possible. Being truthful and honest with our previous performance and trying to learn and rectify the performance almost immediately," the batsman said.