Santos PNG Orchids coach Ben Jeffries confirms his 20-player PNG Prime Minister’s XIII Women’s squad will face the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII Women in this Sunday’s clash at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. The match will be played with unlimited interchange and all 20 players are expected to feature. Elsie Albert is unavailable for the match, due to NRLW semi-final commitments with St George Illawarra Dragons, but Orchid number 20, Gloria Kaupa, will captain the side. Jeffries says this is a valuable opportunity for the Santos PNG Orchids, who have not played a match since November 2019, and recently named a 23-player squad for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup (RLWC), featuring many new faces. PNG Kumuls Coach Stanley Tepend is happy that the traditional Prime Minister’s 13 fixture between PNG and Australia is back on the menu. The PM’s 13 will be played at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane later this month. Coach Tepend says the PM’s 13 has always been an important fixture for PNG, and this year, the match will be used as a lead up to the Rugby League World Cup next month (October). HIGHLY-DECORATED Brisbane Broncos winger David Mead has called time on his 14-year rugby league career at the top level, effective immediately. The now-retired Papua New Guinea Kumul played 171 National Rugby League (NRL) games for Brisbane and Titans, scoring 75 tries since making his debut in 2009. Mead also played 58 English Super League games for Catalans Dragons, scoring 29 tries. The 33-year-old also played 15 Tests for PNG and scored 10 tries, as well as captaining his beloved country of birth at the 2017 World Cup. “I’d like to say a big thank you to the Broncos, Titans, Catalans, NRL and Super league for giving me the opportunity to live my dream since 2009,” Mead said. “This game has given and taught me a lot. “I will always be grateful for my time playing footy. BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) is now the naming rights sponsor of the home of the Sepik Pride Rugby League Football Club (SPRLFC), the Pora Oval, in Wewak, East Sepik Province. BSP becomes the first to acquire naming rights to the Rugby League Oval that accommodates the local league competition and talents. The bank’s support to Pora Oval facilities will see improved and maintained grandstand, fencing and general maintenance of the sporting ground. Papua New Guinea’s national oil and gas Company, Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited, today announced sponsorship funding of K10 million for the PNG Rugby Union (PNGRU) for next three (3) years from 2022 through to 2024. This sponsorship provides Kumul Petroleum with the naming rights for all PNGRU sanctioned events and competitions over this period and includes branding of tournament uniforms, on-field signage, ticketing and other related documentation. Mr Wapu Sonk, Managing Director of Kumul Petroleum said: “We are pleased to announce financial support for this sporting code, which for many years has suffered and declining because of various reasons and the key ones being lack of sponsorship, infighting between different people at the PNGRU Board, regional centers and or provincial union affiliates etc . Congratulations are in order for Kroton Hela Hela Wigmen players, management, sponsors and everyone behind success story of the club. Hela Wigmen so far have been to 3 grand finals and won 2 and always in the finals since we entered in 2014. The club has groomed disciplined and quality players for Hunters and Kumuls and will continue to do so. Wigmen franchise purposely recruits players from other provinces. We use the Wigmen brand to extend friendship and relationship with other provinces. Thats why, everytime Wigmen play, you'll see not just Hela people support them. We are proud to be called a true unifying team flying the Hela flag. I encourage everyone to come support this Sunday at the National Football Stadium. Rabbitohs NRL squad for round 23 against Panthers this Friday
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their NRL squad for round 23 against the Penrith Panthers to be played this Friday 20 August at 8:05pm at Suncorp Stadium. Rabbitohs Head Coach Wayne Bennett has named Alex Johnston, Dane Gagai, Campbell Graham and Hame Sele all to return from injury this week. The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ NRL squad for Friday’s clash with the Panthers is: SP PNG Hunters have been strengthened by the return of key backs Terry Wapi and Brendon Gutuno for Saturday’s Intrust Super Cup clash with Mackay Cutters at Bycroft Oval on Saturday. The Queensland Rugby League declared that the Round 12 clash would go ahead despite today’s announcement of a three-day COVID lockdown in southeast Queensland and the Townsville region. The QRL hopes the lockdown will lift as planned at 6pm Friday, enabling a full round to proceed after last weekend’s bye. Winger Gutuno has been sidelined for the past 12 weeks after fracturing his arm in two places in the 26-14 Round 3 victory against the Cutters in Mackay while fullback Wapi has played only one match since Round 6 because of an ankle injury. However, the Hunters will be without second-rower Keven Appo who discovered he had a leg infection after his ankle swelled up in the days after suffering an injury against Burleigh Bears at Cbus Super Stadium last round. Puname says Muruks need consistency despite the win MENDI Muruks coach Roderick Puname is happy with his side's perfect start to the season after their 22-20 win over Waghi Tumbe at Lae Rugby League Ground on Sunday. However, a former Muruk himself, Puname said inconsistency continued to be a problem for the Southern Highlands franchise. The Petroleum Resource Kutubu (PRK) sponsored side were dorminant for three-quarters of the game and led 22-8 in the 65th minute before they became complacent and allowed the Jiwaka men to surge back. That final 15 minutes would have caused Puname equal doses of anxiety and frustration as his side allowed back-to-back converted tries that saw Baundo Aba's men close the margin to two. Thankfully for Muruks fans and their coach, the side hung on to register their third win on the trot. Roosters champion Boyd Cordner didn't think he could live with himself if he suffered another head knock, and so made the toughest decision of all – to call time on his career while he still had more to give. Cordner held court for 25 minutes on Monday morning after announcing his rugby league retirement, speaking with the passion and honesty that embodied his decade at the game's highest level. Roughly a dozen times throughout a moving press conference Cordner stopped to choke back tears and compose himself as he confirmed the "toughest decision I've ever made". |
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