Tonga

This coincides with the upcoming opening of its new 4 star Tanoa International Dateline Hotel in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga. 

Tanoa is a major hospitality player in the Pacific with 10 hotels in Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand and soon, Tonga. 

This makeover for Tanoa Hotels, which was founded over 50 years ago, is designed to bring the brand in line with their growing portfolio and position in the market.

Last year's match on the Gold Coast – watched by 12,336 diehard fans – and the 2013 version in Penrith produced atmospheres that could rival some of the biggest spectacles on the planet.

According to RNZI, the mid-year test window marks the beginning of Rugby World Cup qualifying for the three Pacific nations, who failed to earn direct entry to the 2019 tournament last year.

With only a three-week June window, Georgia and the three Pacific teams will play each other over consecutive weeks.

The boat is part of the Project for Improvement of Sea Transportation Infrastructure and is funded through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects, GGP.

Mr. Yukio Numata, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Tonga and Tu’itufu of ‘Eueiki, the Chief of the Island commissioned the new boat at the Queen Salote Wharf, and honoured its first voyage to the second half of the commissioning ceremony held at ‘Eueiki Island.

Samoa Rugby Union's head coach Ieremia is in Fiji for the 2016 World Rugby Pacific Challenge as the manager of the Samoa A team.

Talking about the general standard of rugby on display by the three island nations in the tournament, the once feared backline utility feels improvements are being made.

"The game is actually moving towards suiting Pacific Islanders. The openness and making sure of the ball skills of island forwards is very critical now," he told the Fiji Times.

Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift will accompany Assistant Secretary Russel will travel to Apia, Samoa; Nuku'alofa, Tonga; and Koror, Palau, February 20-25, for bilateral meetings and regional consultations.

The cyclone was downgraded to a category two on Monday afternoon as it moved towards Fiji's southern Lau group, but Misaeli Funaki, a forecaster at the Fiji Meteorological Service, said the storm still had damaging winds as high as 155 kilometres an hour.

The Ministerial meeting is to discuss Climate Change and its effects on the Pacific Islands especially with the Swedish Government aiming to cooperate with PSIDS in battling the many challenges of Climate Change as Swedish Minister Isabella Lovin addressed yesterday at the opening of the three days Conference at the Fa‘onelua Convention Centre in Nuku‘alofa.

“I am very proud and honoured to be the first Swedish Minister ever to visit the Pacific Island States.

This is Finau’s second tour with the official organizer, PGA Tour, in its first full-field event for 2016.

The system, which has sustained winds of 150 kilometres an hour at its centre, has moved south between Niue and the Cook Islands but is now turning westward.

On its current trajectory, the cyclone is expected to pass about 300 south of Niue and be within about 400 kilometres of Tonga's main island by Friday.