Latest news with #Suva
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Masibaka eyes 'full-circle moment' for Scotland against Fiji
Alex Masibaka says facing Fiji in a Scotland jersey this summer would represent "a full circle moment" as he aims to make his debut on the international stage. The 23-year-old back-rower qualifies for the Scots through his Paisley-born mother, but could just as easily be in the white Fijian jersey given his father's heritage. Advertisement "I'm very excited," said Masibaka, ahead of Scotland's trip to Suva in the middle of two matches in New Zealand. "My mother's, she's Scottish and my dad's Fijian, so it'll be a full circle moment for me and my family. "We're trying to get my parents over and I've got family in Fiji as well who will try to come down for that Fiji game and yeah, it's going to be huge." Masibaka plays for French side Montpellier but spent last season on loan at Pro D2 side Soyaux-Angouleme and was a shock call-up to the Scotland squad during the Six Nations. Advertisement Although he did not manage any game time, the number eight admitted that even being called into the wider squad by Gregor Townsend came as something of a surprise. "I was a bit shocked at first, to be honest," he said. "I was just sitting on the couch talking to my mum on the phone while she was at work and just got the call and instantly just froze. "I was just like, 'wow, this is real'. But I had to quickly shape up and come prepared and it's everything I dreamed of. "I felt like a new kid. Honestly, I was a bit nervous. I know there's some superstars in here and the first person I met was Finn Russell. Advertisement "I was very nervous talking to him, but he was just very humble and very good to talk to. "I'm just trying to learn off the other boys and try to be a sponge and take as much as I can from the team and try to bring it into the next training session. That's my focus at the moment."
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Masibaka eyes 'full-circle moment' for Scotland against Fiji
Alex Masibaka says facing Fiji in a Scotland jersey this summer would represent "a full circle moment" as he aims to make his debut on the international 23-year-old back-rower qualifies for the Scots through his Paisley-born mother, but could just as easily be in the white Fijian jersey given his father's heritage."I'm very excited," said Masibaka, ahead of Scotland's trip to Suva in the middle of two matches in New Zealand."My mother's, she's Scottish and my dad's Fijian, so it'll be a full circle moment for me and my family."We're trying to get my parents over and I've got family in Fiji as well who will try to come down for that Fiji game and yeah, it's going to be huge."Masibaka plays for French side Montpellier but spent last season on loan at Pro D2 side Soyaux-Angouleme and was a shock call-up to the Scotland squad during the Six he did not manage any game time, the number eight admitted that even being called into the wider squad by Gregor Townsend came as something of a surprise."I was a bit shocked at first, to be honest," he said. "I was just sitting on the couch talking to my mum on the phone while she was at work and just got the call and instantly just froze."I was just like, 'wow, this is real'. But I had to quickly shape up and come prepared and it's everything I dreamed of."I felt like a new kid. Honestly, I was a bit nervous. I know there's some superstars in here and the first person I met was Finn Russell."I was very nervous talking to him, but he was just very humble and very good to talk to."I'm just trying to learn off the other boys and try to be a sponge and take as much as I can from the team and try to bring it into the next training session. That's my focus at the moment."
RNZ News
2 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Fiji govt says shipping company violated maritime and environment obligations
Photo: Supplied A Fijian government says one of the country's main inter-island shipping providers has violated several maritime safety and environmental obligations. Earlier this month, Goundar Shipping's vessel Lomaiviti Princess II capsized after being towed out of Suva Harbour by the Fiji Ports Authority and has since spilled oil. In a statement, the Joint Maritime Environment Committee said the that the ship had been non-operational since 2019, and Goundar Shipping should have removed and defuelled the vessel. It said the company has a legal duty to exercise reasonable care in managing its vessel to prevent harm to the marine environment and other port users, which they breached. Minister for Enviroment and Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu said there are no exemptions when it comes to environmental protection. "We will not allow Fiji's ports and waters to become dumping grounds." The committee statement said Fiji Ports undertook the relocation of the Lomaiviti Princess II after Goundar Shipping failed to act on the removal orders issued . This was done under the authority of regulation 78 of the Sea Ports Management Regulations 2008. RNZ Pacific has reached out to Goundar Shipping for comment. The company's director has previously declined several times to comment on this matter. The Climate Change Ministry also established Goundar Shipping does not hold a valid waste disposal permit for any of its vessels, the statement said. "It must also be made clear that should GSL argue that they were not aware of their waste disposal permit obligations under EMA 2005, that Section 37 would apply, whereby any damage caused to the environment through discharge of waste or pollutant from the facility, activity or undertaking, the body corporate is liable for remedial actions," the statement said. The committee said Fiji Ports has been "actively pursuing recovery efforts to prevent further spillage". It said Fiji Ports has also commenced discussions with three potential service providers for underwater inspection and removal of any oil/sludge inside the vessel. This process will take approximately four to eight weeks Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau has directed that a thorough maritime investigation be conducted into the incident to ascertain the cause of the incident, determine responsibility, and identify any gaps in standard operating procedures.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Fiji maritime committee says shipping company violated maritime and environment regs
Photo: Supplied A Fijian government says one of the country's main inter-island shipping providers has violated several maritime safety and environmental obligations. Earlier this month, Goundar Shipping's vessel Lomaiviti Princess II capsized after being towed out of Suva Harbour by the Fiji Ports Authority and has since spilled oil. In a statement, the Joint Maritime Environment Committee said the that the ship had been non-operational since 2019, and Goundar Shipping should have removed and defuelled the vessel. It said the company has a legal duty to exercise reasonable care in managing its vessel to prevent harm to the marine environment and other port users, which they breached. Minister for Enviroment and Climate Change Mosese Bulitavu said there are no exemptions when it comes to environmental protection. "We will not allow Fiji's ports and waters to become dumping grounds." The committee statement said Fiji Ports undertook the relocation of the Lomaiviti Princess II after Goundar Shipping failed to act on the removal orders issued . This was done under the authority of regulation 78 of the Sea Ports Management Regulations 2008. RNZ Pacific has reached out to Goundar Shipping for comment. The company's director has previously declined several times to comment on this matter. The Climate Change Ministry also established Goundar Shipping does not hold a valid waste disposal permit for any of its vessels, the statement said. "It must also be made clear that should GSL argue that they were not aware of their waste disposal permit obligations under EMA 2005, that Section 37 would apply, whereby any damage caused to the environment through discharge of waste or pollutant from the facility, activity or undertaking, the body corporate is liable for remedial actions," the statement said. The committee said Fiji Ports has been "actively pursuing recovery efforts to prevent further spillage". It said Fiji Ports has also commenced discussions with three potential service providers for underwater inspection and removal of any oil/sludge inside the vessel. This process will take approximately four to eight weeks Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau has directed that a thorough maritime investigation be conducted into the incident to ascertain the cause of the incident, determine responsibility, and identify any gaps in standard operating procedures.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Summer wins vital to avoid nightmare World Cup draw
Harry Paterson says this summer's tour matches against Fiji and Samoa are vital for Scotland to avoid another nightmare Rugby World Cup Scots were drawn alongside the world's two top-ranked teams, Ireland and South Africa, in Pool A for the 2023 World Cup, losing to both to exit at the first full-back Paterson says the ranking points available for this summer are crucial for maintaining and even improving Scotland's current ranking of seventh in the world ahead of the draw for the 2027 World Cup in Scots kick off their summer schedule against Maori All Blacks in Whangarei on 5 July - a match which carries no ranking points - before Tests against Fiji in Suva and Samoa in Auckland."I think as a squad, we know the importance of rankings this year, especially the games against the Fijians and the Samoans," Paterson said."We need to finish this year as high as we can to avoid what happened last World Cup cycle, so we can go with quite a high seeding."There's a lot riding on this tour, in terms of those rankings and strength of opposition."Paterson has endured a frustrating season, missing the Six Nations and much of the domestic campaign through injury, and is relishing the chance to stake a claim for a place in the Scotland team once again."I've had a bit of a strange season, managed to get some games at the end of the year after a lot of injuries," he said."It's just frustrating, but that means I'll probably have a quite fresh mindset going into this. I haven't had loads of games this year, so I'm ready to fly into it."I missed out on all the Six Nations stuff, so I'm really looking forward to trying to get back in the Scotland jersey and performing."
