Bula, Ma’lelei, Talofa and Welcome to Season 07 Episode 13 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a bright and sunny Saturday morning 14 October 2023 – Happy birthday Tahitia!

Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

So why do we tip Wales to weewillywonka Argentina at the RWC2023 quarter-finals in Marseille? Because the Welsh forwards are much tougher and they have flash in their backs as well. And New Zealand to zuckerberg Ireland in Paris? Just three words – revenge, pride and learnings.

OK here we go - our world famous tips for the Rugby League 2023 Pacific Championships: The Australian Kangaroos to johhnywalker Samoa and the Australian women to sambuca New Zealand women at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in sunny Townsville, plus we tip the Papua New Guinea Kumuls to corubarum the Cook Islands men and the Fiji women to bacardi Samoa women at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby.

In Football: England Manager Gareth Southgate has urged his understudies to seize their chance to impress in this morning’s friendly against Australia at Wembley, as he rests his established stars ahead of Tuesday’s key Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.

England could seal their place at next year’s tournament when they face the Italians, but first Southgate will take a look at some of his fringe players against the Socceroos.

In Combat sports: The Tszyu versus Mendoza Fight Card sees:
Ø Tim Tszyu (23-0) vs Brian Mendoza (22-2) Super Welterweight
Ø Sam Goodman (15-0) vs Miguel Flores (25-4-1) Featherweight

Preliminaries
Ø Nathaniel May vs Jackson Jon England Featherweight
Ø Shanell Dargan vs Amber Amelia Super Bantamweight
Ø Toese Vousiutu vs Julius Long Heavyweight
Ø Hassan Hamdan vs Danvers Cuschieri Welterweight
Ø Sergei Vorobev vs Wade Ryan Super Welterweight

In SportsBiz from India: Crazy Indian cricket fans desperate to witness Saturday’s World Cup blockbuster between India and Pakistan have booked into hospitals, rather than stay at hotels where some prices have been hiked by up to 10 times their standard rates.

Thousands of fans have descended on the western Indian city of Ahmedabad from across the country and overseas to witness a rare meeting of the bitter cricket rivals at the 132,000-seater Modi Stadium.

Prominent hotels in the city usually charge 6,000 rupees or US$72 for a deluxe room but on Friday, Saturday and Sunday the price for a day has been hiked to 70,000 rupees or US$865.

However, by checking into a city hospital for a health check, the cost is 7,000 rupees, only US$84 a day.

“It’s a double act, I believe. They want a full-body check-up and an overnight stay, probably to watch the match,” a city doctor told AFP.

“These are mostly non-resident Indians from the United States and the UK who have booked deluxe one-bed rooms and have opted for a full health package.”

The doctor added: “We have to be cautious with these bookings, because our primary aim is patient care. We can’t just hand out a bed to watch the match. But we can’t deny check-ups for patients with medical history either.”

In the NBA: Twenty-five years later, Shaquille O’Neal and Reebok are collaborating again. O’Neal is the new President of Reebok Basketball, with the Authentic Brands Group subsidiary, as Reebok seeks to return to the elite basketball segment.

While Allen Iverson, who signed a new deal with the Group earlier this year, will take over as VP of Reebok Basketball.

“We’re back, baby!” O’Neal said in a statement. “Get ready.”

And that’s a wrap baby!

For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.

Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support.

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