PNG Rugby Union (PNGRU) has commenced the process of rolling out its scheduled programs for the final quarter for the 2023 season.
The calendar starts with the Oceania Rugby 7s Championship in Brisbane, Australia this November. Following immediately after is the Pacific Games 7s competition.
When confirming the upcoming events today, PNGRU CEO Sailosi Druma assured the rugby fraternity that despite recent negative comments and unfounded allegations in the media relating to lack of transparency and accountability by the current executive, its business as usual.
While the main focus is on the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, the PNG Men and Women’s 7s teams will travel to Brisbane on the 7th of November to attend the Oceania Rugby 7s Championships scheduled for the weekend of November 10th to the 12th. CEO Sailosi said this is a very important tournament as it is also the Olympic qualifier where PNG will have to fight it out against Fiji and Samoa.
The tournament will also have a bearing on the Challenger series next year. The challenge has always been between the noncore teams - PNG, Tonga and Cook Islands for the men, and Samoa and PNG for the women.
Meantime, training has commenced for the Moresby based players while members of the squad from other centres will arriving this Friday to the join the rest of the squad.
After the Oceania 7s and Pacific Games, PNGRU will be involved again in the domestic programs such as the PNG Games and the Rookie 7s tournament throughout December.
Druma also announced that the proposed Oceania Rugby 15s scheduled for October this year, has been rescheduled for 2024.