PNG rugby league set for games on the world stage Source: ABC.net.au Rugby league in Papua New Guinea has achieved a significant boost with the number of international matches involving the Kumuls set to rise significantly over the next few years. The PNG delegation to the recent Rugby League International Federation meeting in Sydney also pushed for a much larger slice of the action at the 2017 World Cup. Instead of staging just one or two matches, they want hosting rights for a complete group. Brad Tassell, the Chief Executive of the PNG Rugby Football League, told Pacific Beat the RLIF is also very keen for PNG to host a pool. We put a really strong case in regards to it which is still being assessed but were pretty confident we will get the nod to do that with all the development thats happening particularly the rugby league programs and all the facilities up here, he said. I think there is a real groundswell of support - at the meeting we had delegates from all around the world and theyve heard a lot of things about whats happening in Papua New Guinea, the rejuvenation on the game, everyone knew about the PNG Hunters as well from around the world. So theres a real focus on Papua New Guinea at the moment and being a nation of seven million people and having rugby league as a national sport, its vital that PNG are strong on the international scene. The PNG delegation also called for the revival of the Pacific Cup as a four-nation, biannual event between PNG, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. PNG wants to host the first tournament in the off-season in October next year . We need to get up regular international games between the Pacific nations, Mr Tassell said. Its after the end of the NRL season, the end of the Queensland Cup season when players will be available and well be expecting the release of those players to compete in that tournament. PNG also wants the go ahead for a one-off international this year and Mr Tassell said it would be against either Samoa or Italy on October 19. Mr Tassell says the RLIF meeting was vital for Pacific nations to impress on the world body that they need to play regular test matches. Its proposed that in the year when the Pacific Cup isnt played, Pacific nations would hold a test series - PNG versus Fiji and Samoa versus Tonga. We need to play more test matches, we need to give our players more international exposure and thats the only way that were going to improve, he said. abc.net.au/news/2014-05-07/an-pacific-rugby-soccer/5435604
Posted on: Wed, 07 May 2014 06:39:54 +0000
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