Talofa, Ma’lele’i, Bula and welcome to Season 06 Episode 14 of Breakfast Bites, the FIJI & PACIFIC SPORTS NEWS PODCAST, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news on a cloudy but warm Friday morning 14 July 2023.
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Talofa, Ma’lele’i, Bula and welcome to Season 06 Episode 14 of Breakfast Bites, the FIJI & PACIFIC SPORTS NEWS PODCAST, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news on a cloudy but warm Friday morning 14 July 2023.
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
In Rugby
Our World Famous Tips for the final round of the World Rugby U20 Championship this weekend: France to fringo Ireland, England to ebay South Africa, Australia TO weewillywonka Wales, New Zealand to ganguly Georgia, Fiji to fufufugee Argentina for sixth place and Italy to jungalee Japan to the U20 Trophy 2024.
The U20 Trophy makes its highly anticipated return after four years due to COVID19, with Kenya hosting the tournament for the first time since 2009.
Scotland – competing in the U20 Trophy for the first time, having been relegated from the U20 Championship in 2019 by Fiji, will face USA and Uruguay in Pool A alongside African champions Zimbabwe.
Samoa, U20 Trophy champions in 2011 and 2016, will face hosts Kenya, Hong Kong and Spain in Pool B.
In rugby league
The surprise sighting of Ivan Cleary inside the NSW Blues Coaches Box on Wednesday night could be a “glimpse into the future” according to The Daily Telegraph, who reported yesterday that Fittler benefited from having Cleary alongside him in the 24-10 win.
Speaking to reporters after the ORIGIN III win, Fittler said he had got plenty out of the experience.
Meanwhile, Broncos superstar, Payne Haas has dropped another bombshell, putting himself on the open market, stating that he wants to win a premiership and so not re-signing with the Broncos until he has gauged what a number of other Clubs are willing to offer him come the November transfer window.
At the Tour de France
The ongoing duel between defending Tour de France Champion, Jonas Vingegaard and two time winner Tadej Pogacar may ignite on the Grand Colombier mountain during Bastilles Day – the French national holiday today.
Dane Vingegaard holds a slender 17 seconds lead over the fiery Slovenian Pogacar, who laid the foundation stone for his stealth Tour de France win at the same place in 2020.
So far on this 110th edition of the world’s greatest bike race, the pair have traded tit-for-tat hits with the struggle finely balanced as the peloton heads towards the Alps.
In SportzBiz
WNBA games on ESPN are averaging 548,000 viewers, up 46% from the 2022 season. On ABC, WNBA games are averaging 647,000 viewers, up 18% on 2022.
The WNBA Draft was the most viewed WNBA Draft since 2004 and the opening game between the Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks received the best opening game ratings in 11 years.
Higher TV ratings are extra important for the WNBA as their current deal with ESPN only allows them to a maximum US$25Million per season broadcast revenue, which is very little compared to most sports.
This deal expires in 2025 and the better ratings will allow the WNBA to leverage for a much more profitable deal.
At Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic believes his formidable record at Wimbledon ensures he remains the favourite to win the Men’s singles title going into tonight’s semi-finals.
Djokovic, going for a record-equalling eighth title, plays Italian eighth seed Jannik Sinner while Spanish World Number 1, Carlos Alcaraz faces Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev in the second semi-final.
“I don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course I would consider myself favourite,” said second seed Djokovic.
The Serb is bidding for a fifth successive victory at the All England Club, which would also see him equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 major titles.
Sinner, 21 is in his first Grand Slam semi-final, while Djokovic will be contesting his 46th major semi-final – equalling Roger Federer’s all-time record.
Djokovic is aiming to reach a 35th Grand Slam singles final, which would be an outright record and move him ahead of American Chris Evert.
And at the FIFA World Cup downunder
A month of elite football is about to kick off as the FIFA Women’s World Cup begins in Australia and New Zealand next Thursday 20 July.
For the first time ever, 32 teams, split into eight groups of four with each team playing all three group opponents, before the top two teams from each group make it to the knockouts.
The eight group winners face off against the second-placed teams from different groups in the Round of 16, before we whittle things all the way down to two teams in the final on 20 August.
In combat sports
Francis Ngannou is in line to pocket a career-high purse of US$8Million, ten times more than his last UFC purse; a base pay of US$800,000 when he took on Cyril Gane at UFC270 back in January 2020.
‘The Predator’ will be looking to do what no boxer has done by beating The Gypsy King in Saudi Arabia.
Let’s get ready to R U M B L E!
And that’s a wrap!
For TEIVOVOsports.com I’m Culden Kamea – Mahalo, vinaka and thank you. Please hit the subscribe button below if you would like to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. And tank you all too mas for all your love and support.
Mahalo, vina’a and tank you all too mass for all your love and support.
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