Nesian Footy

One of the brightest stars in women's rugby union is Faitala Moleka and we discover how she went from almost pursuing music to debuting for the Wallaroos at age 18. Moleka also clears up her heritage for a confused Sam and puts him at ease saying rugby union is the game for her. We've got some Vanuatu facts for 'Culture Shock' plus there's a ton of footy to look at including the NRL, Super Rugby,...

Jumping in for Sam (who's on his fortnightly Fiji trip) is the only man to captain Cook Islands in League and Union, Tupou Sopoaga. Tinirau and Tupou discuss the NRL's multicultural round, how quickly the Super season can slip away with a few losses, serve up a Samoan rice dish and go deep on the upcoming weekend of sport with Sala Togatuki and Toutai Kefu.

The man of the moment who scored one of the greatest tries in NRL history, PNG Kumul and Melbourne Storm winger Xavier Coates, joins us on Nesian Footy. As well as dissecting that try, the training that goes into it, how he would defend it and why his long jump history might help him launch like that, we chat about Coates' Papua New Guinea heritage and who at the Storm has helped him in his cultur...

Hear a full Pasifika preview of the footy weekend with plenty of Nesian stars on display in the NRL, Super Rugby and Super W. Our mates Sala Togatuki and Toutai Kefu drop by and Kefu tells us why those 'glue' players are crucial to keeping team morale high and how big Wendell Sailor was one he loved having around. There's also some abysmal tipping from Sam, a Tongan horse recipe and a 'who am I?'...

She's represented Fetu Samoa in League, the Wallaroos in Union and all after having two kids - Pauline Piliae-Rasabale is an inspiration for Pasifika women who want to do it all. Piliae-Rasabale opens up on her motivations to switch codes, the emotion of playing for Samoa and her pride in her two boys seeing their mum play footy at the highest level. We also go deep on the rounds of footy, hear fr...

We're back for another Friday edition of Nesian Footy with our mates Sala Togatuki and Toutai Kefu joining Sam & Tinirai. We discuss the fallout from Las Vegas and what can be done to stamp out racism from the home to the footy field, why it seems rugby union is fighting itself and there's some bold predictions all round for the NRL season ahead.

Nina Foaese and Moana Courtenay are two of the inspiring women playing for the combined Samoan and Tongan Rugby Union team, Penina Pasifika, in the hope that they join the Super W in the coming seasons. We hear about the sacrifices they made to take this opportunity, why they put their life on hold for it and what the feeling was like scoring the first Penina try. You'll also get a full wrap on th...

It's a big week in both footy codes with the NRL launching season 2024 in Las Vegas and rugby union taking up residence in Melbourne with all Super games there this week. Toutai Kefu and Sala Togatuki will help preview both those big events, plus we'll hear about new funding for Pacific Rugby and a new recipe of the week.

There's guests galore today as we cross to Las Vegas to hear from Davvy Moale and Taane Milne, hear the story from Lavenia Racaca - the first Fijian female to referee World Sevens, plus a couple of Fijian DJ's to help educate us on the history of kava. We'll also get the latest from the first round of Super Rugby, the final warm up games in the NRL and Shellie Long adds to our mammoth guest list w...

It's the first week of Nesian Footy Fridays and Sam & Tinirau have got your weekend footy sorted with the help of Sala Togatuki and Toutai Kefu. This week, Sala tells us her footy story and why her parents gave her a hiding for playing Rugby League, while Toutai reflects on seven years coaching the Ikale Tahi. There's footy previews, news and even an Otai recipe!

Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea's mum was playing high-level rugby when she was pregnant with her, so maybe that's why Alysia is an integral part of the super successful Aussie Sevens team nowadays. The Samoan, Tongan, Australian talks about being an inspiration for "thick" Pasifika girls and how hard it can be to train and eat well when living with her family.

Payne Haas is one of the biggest stars in the NRL, both in size and reputation and joins Nesian Footy to discuss his journey. Haas chats about his Muslim faith, his mentor Sonny Bill Williams, how he makes sure off field distractions don't affect his footy and why it was an honour to play against his Toa Samoa brothers. We also find out if he'd ever want to go play Rugby Union and hear about the G...

When the Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne goes down to the beach to watch the kids play no touch footy, it's work ethic and extra efforts that impress him, because they all have that Fijian flair. We chat to Byrne ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific season to understand where the Drua improvements will be and what their goal is this year for wins. We also hear about some pre-season men's and women's...

Between playing Rugby Union at the highest level and a growing presence in Australian media, Sera Naiqama balances plenty in her life. Naiqama reflects on her journey from being smashed in living room family footy contests to the tears in her eyes this weekend at the Perth Sevens thinking about where she's got to. Along with the Sevens, we chat about Tinirau's Nines tournament and Shellie has plen...

Levi Milford has represented Samoa at the Commonwealth Games and on the Rugby Sevens circuit for a couple of years and has relished moving back to Samoa. We hear his journey from Sydney to France to Samoa, his Olympic dreams, the best bits of the Sevens circuit and why Brian Lima still has that aura.

To kick off 2024, one of the greatest dual code internationals in footy history, Lote Tuqiri, is joining us. We chat about his code hopping, Pasifika pronunciation and representation, what needs to be done to fix Rugby and why it’s sad that Mark Nawaqanitawase left the code. Plus, you’ll hear about Tuqiri’s tiny village in Fiji that keeps producing superstars! Shellie Long is also back to share he...

Konrad Hurrell only played barefoot rugby until his late teens and still can't wear new footy boots. We hear his story going from a small village to representing Tonga at three World Cups and playing over 100 games in the NRL and in the English Super League. It's also our last show of the year so we'll finally hear Sam sing the Tongan anthem as the loser of Nesian Knowledge.

Former dual-code player Tupou Sopoaga has moved from the field to the boardroom and is now tackling contracts as a player manager. He talks to Sam and Joseph Paulo about growing up with a brother considered a once-in-a-generational -player, Lima Sopoaga.

Sam and T sit down with Sione Fukofuka who is paving the way for more Pasifika representation in the coaching space after taking up the head coaching role for the US women’s rugby team. 

Rugby Union speedster Ivania Wong arrived in Australia from PNG at age eight and only started playing the game a decade later. Within a short time Wong had played for the QLD Reds, represented the Wallaroos and in 2022 she won Super W Rugby player of the year. We hear about Wong's challenges moving to Australia, how she fit in and overcame fears and how she considers herself an Aussie and Papua Ne...

Our first ever guest on Nesian Footy, Fa'amanu Brown, returns to chat about a huge year on and off the field including switching clubs from the Bulldogs to the Knights, switching countries from Toa Samoa to NZ and embracing all the love he got on his video about caring for his dying mother from our first chat. We also chat about the NRL rookie camp, hear from Oceania Rugby's Frank Puletua to chat...

While playing in the Pacific Championships, Kiana Takairangi was motivated to learn more about her Cook Island heritage by a small community in Papua New Guinea. Takairangi talks about not knowing girls could even play footy to representing the Cook Island Moana and Kiwi Ferns, and now giving back with her own footy coaching clinics in Australia and in the Islands. We also hear the worst tour diar...

Lima Sopoaga has played for the All Blacks, coached with Cook Islands and had immense pride in representing Samoa in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He talks about the emotional response of his Dad when he was named for Samoa, why the Island nations need to play more between World Cups and what it's like rooming with Dan Carter. We also wrap up the Rugby World Cup final and an interesting weekend in the...

Joseph Paulo steps in this week for Tinirau and takes us to his French rugby league days with accidental steak tartares, enforced 2 hour lunch breaks and a no rush lifestyle. It's also the week of the Rugby World Cup Final so Sam will give you everything to look out for in the game between South Africa and NZ and we hear Tinirau's catch up with Shellie Long after a life-changing week ahead of her ...

For decades, Dr David Lakisa has been making sporting clubs and organisations in Australia safer places so that Pasifika and Maori athletes can shine. Over 50% of Rugby League and Rugby Union player populations are Nesian and Lakisa's work could be one of the reasons your favourite footy club is doing well! Shellie Long also dials in from PNG and Sam learns an extra special Nesian flavoured magic...