Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 09 Episode 15 of Breakfast Bites, by TEIVOVOdigital.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Thursday morning 18 April 2024.
 
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the blue continent.
                                                                  
In rugby union: The Fijian Drua team to face the unbeaten Hurricanes in Suva tomorrow will be led by 19 year old flyhalf Isikeli Rabitu: 1 Haereiti Hetet, 2 Tevita Ikanivere (c), 3 Mesake Doge, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 5 Leone Ratuisolia, 6 Vilive Miramira, 7 Kitione Salawa, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 9 Simi Kuruvoli, 10 Isikeli Rabitu, 11 Epeli Momo, 12 Kemu Valetini, 13 Iosefo Masi, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada and 15 Ilaisa Droasese.
 
In the NBA: The Team USA Basketball Roster for the Paris Olympic Games, according to ESPN: LeBron James (Lakers), Steph Curry (Warriors), Kevin Durant (Suns), Joel Embiid (76ers), Anthony Davis (Lakers), Devin Booker (Suns), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Jrue Holiday (Celtics), Bam Adebayo (Heat), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers) and Kahwi Leonard (Clippers).
 
In football: So we have our first UEFA Champions League Top 4 qualifiers now after PSG 4-1 Barcelona with only eight players in the end and Mbappe scoring a double, while Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atletico Madrid in Germany.

This morning, Man City hosts Harry Kane and Bayern Munich while Real Madrid entertain Arsenal in Spain.

In SportsBiz: Sunday’s final round TV viewership of The Masters, which saw Scottie Scheffler run away from the field to win his second green jacket by four strokes, drew a surprisingly small audience of only 9.6 million viewers.

Down almost 21% from last year’s 12.1 million final-round audience.

In rugby league: BREAKING NEWS: Penrith Panthers enforcer James Fisher-Harris has been granted a release from the remaining two years of his deal to join the New Zealand Warriors in a bombshell switch.
 
Fisher-Harris, a New Zealand international, will link up with the Warriors in 2025 on a four-year deal.
The forward was granted permission to join the NZ Warriors after requesting a return to his home nation on compassionate grounds so he could be closer to his family.

Only in America: Is that all she’ll get?

That was the overwhelming response to basketball fans realising Caitlin Clark will earn just US$76,570 in her first season as a professional player, after she was first pick in the WNBA Draft on Tuesday, amid expectations she will have a transformative effect on women’s professional basketball.

Clark will earn US$339,000 over four years, per the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
In comparison, top WNBA players earn more than US$1Million for a season in the Chinese or Russian Women’s Basketball competitions.

Clark will make significantly more money from endorsements, which already include Nike, Gatorade, State Farm and Panini.

She recently declined a US$5M offer to play in the BIG 3 league.

Even US President Joe Biden weighed in: “Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all.

“But right now we’re seeing that even if you’re the best, women are not paid their fair share.
“It’s time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve,” President Biden posted on X.

And that’s a wrap!
 
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Mahalo and Ka kite; for TEIVOVOdigital.com, I’m Culden Kamea tanking you all too mass for all your love and support.
 
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