Coca-Cola Ipatas Cup

Tournament Director, Simon Maima said tomorrow’s finals are the golden pass playoffs and wished all four teams the best of luck.

There are two golden passes up for grabs- one from the Central playoff and the other NCD.

The draw for tomorrow:

2pm- City Redbacks vs Toks Mix Dogs (Central playoff).

3pm-Paga Panthers vs QPR Wanderers (NCD playoff).

“I would like to thank all the teams for being part of the family nationwide through this national off-season competition. Play in true rugby league spirit tomorrow,” said Maima.

In a first for East Sepik province, teams from Maprik, Vanimo and Wewak will converge upon Maprik to battle it out to win the one golden pass on offer.

The draws for tomorrow:

10am - NBC Watchdogs Vs City Red Backs 11:10am - Marane StoneVillie Vs QPR Wanderers 12:20pm - X - Rox Vs X - Factor (WRL) 1pm - winner game 1 Vs Toks Mix Dogs 2:20 - Winner game 2 Vs Paga Panthers.

“Many teams amongst the pools have bowed out and you made it through. We all know that one team has to win and one has to lose.

“I respect you all and want the friends and families of the teams to support tomorrow in the true rugby league spirit,” said Maima.

The team which comprises of players from the remote villages of Morogoro, Yanguli and Semberigi in the Gobe Oil Project area will take part in the Southern Highlands/Minj leg of the Ipatas Cup that will be played in Jiwaka starting next Friday.

They will be led by former Mendi Muruks player, Ian Mako.

Team Manager, Chris Wipai said this will be the team’s first time to participate in the Ipatas Cup.

“Black Sembo aims to finish in the top post,” said Wipai.

One of the coordinators of the Southern leg, David Silovo said the finals were deferred to this Saturday due to technical problems which forced the games to be called off at the Kone Tigers Oval over the weekend.

In the men’s preliminary finals, Marane Stoneville will play QPR Wanderers with the winner to meet Paga Panthers in the first grand final.

The City Redbacks will then face off against NBC Watchdogs in the second preliminary final. The winner will go on to play Mix Dogs.

“The venue for the finals will be confirmed during the week,” said Silovo.

In the men’s pool matches today at the Kone Tigers Oval, Marane Stoneville def. Giluwe Tribes 32-0, Sis Kongos def. Hohola Emerging 10-8 and the Port Moresby Muruks def. Yoma DC3 8-4.

To the women’s, X- Factor def. Vanuatu Dust 8-4 and X-Rox def. Suburb Sisters 8-0.

One of the coordinators of the Southern leg, David Silovo, said these were the last pool matches of the tournament.

“The draws will be finalised by tonight and sent out. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the finals that will be played tomorrow,” said Silovo.

24 teams are in the hunt for the two golden passes up for grabs to proceed onto the next stage.

One of the coordinators of the Southern leg, David Silovo, said the two lucky teams (one Central and one NCD team) will win K10,000 each to cater for costs to travel up to Goroka, Eastern Highlands.

“We will continue games tomorrow and then have a break. Games will resume next Thursday, Friday, Saturday with the finals on Sunday,” said Silovo.

Coordinator of the Sepik Challenge and former Agmark Gurias player, Bradley Simon, said he received the confirmation yesterday from Enga Governor Peter Ipatas and CEO of the CCIC, Timothy Lepa.

Simon said this is the first time one of PNG’s biggest off-season rugby league competitions is coming to East Sepik, and also the first for the Sepik Challenge to be inlcuded in the CCIC.

The Sepik Challenge will start on Febuary 17, 2017, and will be held at the Maprik field, which will be converted from a soccer field into one big rugby field.