The Papua New Guinea Kumuls has announced its 19-man squad for the upcoming Pacific Test slated for June 25.
Kumuls Head Coach Stanley Tepend said all the players named have been in contact with him for the past few weeks and they are aware of the short camp coming up ahead of the test match against Fiji Batis.
“There are six Hunters players named, even though we haven’t been doing well but I feel that the players have earned their position.
“We will all get into camp on Tuesday the 21st, we will assemble in to Campbelltown, and so it’s easier for us.”
“Once we get into camp, we’ll have a light run on Tuesday, Wednesday is our big day, we’ll have two sessions, Thursday we’ll have a day off, then on Friday June 24 we’ll have the Captain’s Run
and Saturday will be the game.”
“We’re the latter game at 7.50pm, kick off time that is.”
Speaking on behalf of the PNG Rugby Football League Board Chairman, Sandis Tsaka, and the PNGRFL Management, Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Hondina congratulated the 19 who have made the cut.
Hondina also congratulated Coach Tepend’s coaching staff which consists of David Westley (Assistant Coach), Paul Aiton (Assistant Coach), John Wilshire (Team Manager), Jeremy Hickmans (Head of Performance), Solomon Kuliniaisi (High Performance Trainer), Mong Tavol (Trainer), Tommy Butterfield (Media Manager), and Simon Morris (Physiotherapist).
“The last mid-year test match the PNG Kumuls were involved in was back in 2019, after that we’ve had a quiet period attributed to COVID-19 and all the other challenges, but we are delighted that this event is coming up.”
The Pacific Test will showcase the pride and passion of rugby league in the Cook Islands, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
The upcoming double header of the Pacific Test will take place at Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney, with PNG taking on Fiji and Cook Islands.
