Nesian Footy

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 from Tinirau's tattooist in Rarotonga and Shellie's first game of the year is a big success.

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 the mega NRL launch in Las Vegas, Super round in Melbourne and things get heated in Nesian Knowledge.

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 with news from the women's game.

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 Grand Final loss review on day 1 of pre-season in 2024. It's a massive chat with a giant of the game!

We also touch base with Shellie Long, discuss some of the Rugby Australia awards and Tinirau brings in a Cook Island instrument.

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 Rugby Union results and Tinirau has a hiccup in his 'culture shock' segment.

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 plenty of women's footy news including some exciting State of Origin dates.

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 her stories and all the women’s footy news and we’ll talk about the ups and downs of pre-season.

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 New Guinean every time she steps onto the field for the Wallaroos.

We also hear about the boys and Shellie's biggest losses of their career and chat to Adam Tangata who is at the Pacific Games representing the Cook Islands.

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 about the Pacific Rugby 7's last weekend and Shellie serves up big news in the NRLW in 2024.

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 diary ever from Sam & Tinirau's trip to the Solomon Islands and plenty more.

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 Pacific Championships for the men and women.

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 game for the PNG Orchids.