Kings

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Pacific Music Awards in Aotearoa, after starting off at the Pasifika Festival in March 2005.

RNZ Music favourites Kings and SWIDT each have five finalist spots, and much loved R&B / soul duo Adeaze are welcomed back after a break from music.

Both artists won multiple awards last night, where the ceremony opened by SaintzUp Performing Arts Trust, who performed a tribute to nominees Opetaia Foa'i & Te Vaka through Disney's Moana.

Aaradhna took home four awards, including Best Pacific Music Album and Best Pacific Female Artist. Kings also picked up four gongs, including Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Urban Artist.

Opetaia Foa’i, who is well-known for his song ‘We Know The Way’ from Moana, received the Special Recognition Award for outstanding achievement.

Plumbing new depths, the Waratahs lamely surrendered a 17-0 lead with a listless display in front of exasperated fans on Friday night.

The Kings are the competition's dead men walking, consigned to the scrapheap in 2018 as part of SANZAAR's Super Rugby restructuring after managing just three wins in the past season and a half.

But the lowly South Africans may well have sounded the death knell on the Waratahs' finals hopes after reversing a record 72-10 loss to NSW in the two sides' only previous meeting, in Port Elizabeth four years ago.

The Hurricanes execution at pace in the opening quarter had indicated another rout was on the cards for the Kings, who had conceded 158 points in their first three games this season.

The home side scored tries to Ngani Laumape, Blade Thomson and Ardie Savea to establish a 19-3 lead in the first 25 minutes, with Savea's efforts promoting his All Black call-up chances later in the year.

The Crusaders also claimed the bonus point as they raced in eight tries against the South Africans in Christchurch, combining some brutal defence - and watching men like Owen Franks and Luke Romano slam their bodies into opponents accentuated their enthusiasm in this facet - with movements involving sweet passes in contact, eager counter-attacks and an ability to expose the Kings frail midfield.

The blame for the terrible mis-matches foisted upon us in Super Rugby must be assigned to the same bampots from Sanzaar who agreed to the fruitcake competition draw many of us are still trying to comprehend.