Rugby

Speaking to Nine to Noon today, Fuimaono-Sapolu said he had always sought out shocking opinions while at school - and he has prompted quite a lot of controversy himself.

The 35-year-old has finished with top tier rugby after a career playing for the Auckland Blues, Manu Samoa, Japan and the English teams Bath and Gloucester.

As a student at Auckland Grammar, he won best all-rounder for the school's first XV rugby team, which kicked off his international rugby career.

The tournament is part of the United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence campaign, with 12 men's and six women's teams expected to compete.

The General Manager of Rugby in Samoa, Brian Hopley, says as a male-dominated sport they need to take a leadership role.

"I think its part of being socially responsible, and being probably the major sport in Samoa we feel that it's part of our duty to promote this aspect. It's also been a male-dominated sport here and we think it's important that we put that message out."

The Sacred Heart College Auckland product moved to Australia two years ago with the hope of playing for the Wallabies.

The process involves blood being sucked out of the body.

The former NRL premiership-winner, who converted to Islam in 2008, revealed his use of hijama cupping therapy, an age-old Muslim procedure in which small glass cups vacuum blood from small incisions.

In the picture, Williams is hunched over a chair with six blood-spattered bell-shaped cups attached to his back. Two longer shaped cups protrude from his neck.

"Detox time", the Rugby World Cup winner titled the post, followed by an emoticon of two hands raised in celebration and another representing clear skin.

During the World Cup players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga voted for the 'Players' Player of the Year' from their respective nations as well as the overall award.

Nakarawa also picked up the Fijian Players Player of the Year Award, with winger Telusa Veainu chosen as the Tongan Player of the year and midfielder Paul Perez named the Samoan Player of the Year.

The Samoa-born hulking centre was discarded from England's World Cup disaster when coach Stuart Lancaster's hard-line disciplinary attitude in the leadup to the tournament saw Tuilagi dropped after he was convicted of assaulting two female police officers and damaging a taxi.

Now the recent hike in the salary cap by $2.13m is set to earn the 24-year-old Samoan a fortune as a bidding war for his services escalates.

Last month Saracens offered Tuilagi a $920,000 deal.

Speaking exclusively to One News Epi Taione said he had resigned Friday but will still remain involved at some level.

Tonga lost every game but one at the World Cup in England, including a 47-9 loss to the All Blacks.

The global qualification process continues with regional tournaments in Asia, Africa and Oceania taking place over the next few months with the final confirmed teams expected to be announced by the end of the year.

Ticket sales are also progressing well ahead of what promises to be a spectacular festival of rugby.

The interest in rugby at Rio 2016 has been strong both from Brazilians and international sports fans. Packed stadiums are expected for the rugby competition, which will take place at Deodoro Olympic Park on the opening weekend of the Games.