Australia

It's been nine months since Mate Ma'a Tonga's memorable run to the World Cup semi finals, which included a famous victory over New Zealand in Hamilton.

The Kingdom's request for a rematch against the Kiwis in October was rejected by New Zealand Rugby League, who also vetoed Tonga's desire to host the Kangaroos in Auckland.

Woolf said despite both sides wanting the match to go ahead roadblocks keep getting in the way.

"Our first option was that we wanted to play against New Zealand but it was very clear early on that that was not going to happen," he said.

John Kaurasi, 29, prepared the $17.5million shipment for export from Fiji before travelling to Australia to collect it, police allege.

The package arrived on August 10 and was referred to the Australian Federal Police.

Officers from the Australian Border Force allegedly discovered the cocaine at an inspection facility in Sydney.

The Daily Mail reports Kaurasi was arrested on Friday, following a search on a Hurstville property.

He was later charged with importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.

Twenty students, aged between their 20s and 50s, have completed an Australian community care qualification offered by the Bradford Institute of Advanced Education programme.

Nineteen of them are now looking for jobs to care for the elderly in Brisbane.

The course also teaches skills to care for people with special needs, youth and domestic violence victims.

The Samoa-based director of the institute, Va'a Alofipo, said the plan was for all of them to find work in Australia where there was already a high demand for caregivers.

According to the Newsline Samoa newspaper, the group has completed a 12-month course offered by Australia's Bradford Institute of Advanced Education.

The director of the programme, Vaaaoao Alofipo, said Samoa had been chosen for the training because of the work ethic of Samoans in the industry in Australia.

As Samoans were close to their elders, there was a huge demand for Samoans in nursing homes, he said.

A second course will start later this month and is already beyond capacity with 80 people signed up but only 65 slots available.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has welcomed representatives of the European Union Council and Australia's Attorney-General's Office, who are assisting Samoa with their efforts to update legislation and public awareness about cybercrime.

Tuilaepa said the issue of cybercrime is already affecting Samoa with a number of people being prosecuted for related offences.

He said people who are hiding behind social media to attack others have caused divisions and created hatred.

Experienced striker Guerrero, who was only allowed to play in the tournament after the captains of Peru's World Cup opponents petitioned FIFA to temporarily lift his 14-month suspension for a failed drug test, made the most of what may have been his final appearance for Los Incas, who finished with three points to add to the many plaudits they have earned in Russia.

Their opener would have been worthy of winning any World Cup match, Andre Carrillo volleying Guerrero's weighted cross into the net to the unbridled joy of the raucous Peru fans packing the stands in Sochi.

Denmark winger Yussuf Poulsen conceded his second penalty in as many games when video replays led to a decision of handball against him and Jedinak buried the ensuing spot-kick to earn Australia their first point of the tournament.

Bert van Marwijk's side had to grind out a draw against a Denmark side who showed flashes of brilliance, none better than Christian Eriksen's seventh-minute opener.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported his comments following remarks by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop that the Australian government was concerned some Chinese financing arrangements in the Pacific would undermine the islands' sovereignty.

She said Australia would aim to offer alternatives to Chinese infrastructure development.

Ambassador Cheng Jingye said the idea China wanted to create debt-traps for the Pacific nations was "ridiculous".

China's relationships with Pacific nations were on an equal footing which was mutually beneficial, he said.

Joe Schmidt's men were beaten 18-9 in last weekend's opening clash but, with Johnny Sexton back in the side as one of eight changes, Ireland controlled proceedings for long spells at AAMI Park.

The Wallabies outscored their visitors by three tries to two but it was the boot of Sexton that proved the difference as the hosts' discipline let them down - the Irish number 10 kicked 16 points to put Ireland out of reach.

Australia took an early lead when Kurtley Beale found a gap to touch down under the posts inside two minutes.

Announced by Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the 2017 Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Apia, the scheme gives Pacific islanders the opportunity to work in rural and regional Australia for up to three years.

PRN reports the scheme will initially be capped at 2,000 workers and offers year-round employment unlike the Seasonal Worker Program for both Australia and New Zealand.