Bula, Ma’lelei, Talofa and Welcome to Season 06 Episode 21 of Breakfast Bites by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news on a bright and warm Friday morning 21 July 2023. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. In the FIFA World Cup: Hannah Wilkinson scored the only goal as co-hosts New Zealand recorded a historic 1-0 victory over Norway in the opening game of the Women’s World Cup last night. It was the Kiwi’s first-ever win at the World Cup and came in front of more than 42,000 fans in Auckland, the biggest crowd in New Zealand football history. While in Sydney, the Matildas opened their World Cup account with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in front of a record crowd of 75,784 at Stadium Australia. But Aussie superstar striker, Sam Kerr will miss at least the first two games of the tournament with a calf strain. Today Nigeria vs Canada at 12:30pm in Melbourne, Philippines vs Switzerland at 5pm in Dunedin and Spain vs Costa Rica at 7:30pm in Wellington. In Rugby: Caleb Muntz leads the Fiji Water Flying Fijians at flyhalf versus Tonga tomorrow on his Test debut with the explosive star power of halfback Frank Lomani inside him and Josua Tuisova outside him, with Captain and Centre Waisea Nayacalevu around him as well. Selestino Ravutaumada on one Wing and Isoa Nasilasila at lock are also on debut. At the end of this podcast, I take a closer look at this Test, stacked full of global rugby stars in Background Buzz. Also in rugby union, an Anzac invitational XV will play the British and Irish Lions in their July 2025 tour that also includes three Tests against the Wallabies. All five Australian Super Rugby teams will also get a shot at the combined best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In rugby league: Junior Tupou scored twice and Apisai Koroisau also scored for Wests Tigers to hold a 14-12 lead at the break, but from then on, it was all one way traffic as the Dragons scored the only points of the second half with an impressive try from Mikaele Ravalawa for a 18-14 win. In the big clash at Sunshine Coast Stadium tonight, South Sydney Rabbitohs star, Latrell Mitchell has been ruled out against the Brisbane Broncos, despite completing yesterday’s captain’s run. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Souths want to give Mitchell another week off to recover from his calf injury. Also tonight, the New Zealand Warriors take on the Canberra Raiders at Go Media Stadium wherever that is – formerly known as Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland I think. On Saturday, the Knights play the Melbourne Storm in Newcastle, while the Cowboys take on the Parramatta Eels in Townsville later. And on Sunday, it’s the Panthers versus the Bulldogs at BlueBet Stadium. In sports Biz: As the FIFA Women’s World Cup began last night down under, FIFA President, Gianni Infantino declined to comment on pay disparities and their goal of offering equal prize money at the next Men’s and Women’s World Cups. “Focus on the positive, focus on the happiness, focus on the joy,” the FIFA President said instead — adding that he would discuss deeper issues in the game after the World Cup concludes next month. While prize money for this FIFA Women’s World Cup totaling US$110Million, is more than three times the US$30M paid out at the 2019 World Cup for women, it is still only 25% of the US$440M awarded to Men’s teams in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year. In combat sports: The No. 1 UFC Middleweight contender, Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa, has pulled out of UFC293 in Sydney, Australia on 10 September according to UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. Apparently Du Plessis has not recovered from beating Robert Whittaker at UFC290 earlier this month. In the Tour de France: Pello Bilbao was issued a warning by the UCI race jury, after the Basque rider punched a spectator who appeared to block his path while running alongside him during the race. Meanwhile,