What a year! RNZ Pacific's sports review of 2022

Toa Samoa reached the Rugby League World Cup final in November. They became the first Pacific team to reach a world cup final. Samoa were beaten 60-6 by hosts England in the opening game. After that they upset Tonga 20-18 in quarter-finals and beat England 27-26 in semi-final. Australia won the final 30-10. Samoans celebrate their success. The President of Rugby Lounseh said the team's success united the nation.

Moana Pasifika and Fiji Drua played in the Super Rugby Pacific competition for the first time. The teams' journeys began in defeat, but they ended with two wins each. In the women's game, the Fijiana Dru a's historic victory over the New South Wales Waratahs in Melbourne ended the dominance of the Waratsahs. Tonga booked its place in 2023 men's Rugby World Cup after winning a repechage event in Australia with a 44-22 win over Hong Kong.

Pacific athletes won 12 medals at the Commonwealth Games in England. Samoa won the region's only gold medal. Fiji won four medals, two of them in rugby sevens. PNG won only one medal, from weightlifting. Niue gained its first-ever medal with a boxing bronze. Tonga's unbeaten streak helped them qualify for the 2023 Netball World Cup. Argentina won football World cup for first time since Diego Maradona. New Zealand won tournament. They lost a controversial match against Costa Rica. They beat Solomon Islands in the Oceania final. The game was postponed due to a disease.