Digicel Cup

The reigning premiers made it three from three after their 28-18 win over the NCDC Port Moresby Vipers at home in Lae yesterday.

Meanwhile, the NCDC Port Moresby Vipers are yet to register a win this season.

The current standings after round three:

Lae Snax Tigers (6), Kroton Hela Wigmen (4), PRK Mendi Muruks (4), Agmark Rabaul Gurias (4), EPG Enga Mioks (2), Bintangor Goroka Lahanis (2), Waghi Tumbe (2), NCDC Port Moresby Vipers (0).

Round four games will be played in the Highlands and Port Moresby this weekend.

(File picture) 

In Minj, the Gurias def. Waghi Tumbe 24-14 and in Mendi, the Muruks def. EPG Enga Mioks 10-8.

To Lae, the reigning premiers Tigers def. NCDC Port Moresby Vipers 28-18 and up at Goroka, the Wigmen def. Bintangor Goroka Lahanis 20-12.

(File picture)

In Goroka, the Bintangor Goroka Lahanis play host to the Kroton Hela Wigmen at 3pm while across in Minj, Waghi Tumbe will clash with the Agmark Rabaul Gurias. This game will get underway at 2pm.

The other game in the Highlands will be between PRK Mendi Muruks and EPG Enga Mioks in Mendi starting at 2pm.

Down to Lae, reigning premiers Lae Snax Tigers will go head to head with NCDC Port Moresby Vipers. This fixture is set for 3pm.

The current standings after round two:

Competition manager for PNG NRLC, Stanley Hondina, said this was to allow the eight franchise coaches, assistant coaches and head trainers to attend a course in Port Moresby that started today and will end on Sunday.

The bye is in line with the PNGRFL calendar, which includes the SP Hunters.

He said Australian NRL development officers David Westley and Paul Hamson are facilitating the course at the National Football Stadium.

Both facilitators are NRL certified and courses conducted will be of NRL standard.

PNG National Rugby League Competition Manager, Stanley Hondina said the first game to kick off at 1.30pm will see the NCDC Vipers host PRK Mendi Muruks.

Both teams lost their opening clashes last weekend and will be vying to register their first competition points of the season.

The second match of the day is between the reigning premiers Lae Snax Tigers (who had a comfortable win over Agmark Rabaul Gurias) and Kroton Hela Wigmen.

“This shapes up to be the match of the round,” said Hondina.

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The Cup plus the eight captains of the franchises were out on show for the public to see to help build up excitement for the semi-professional competition that is all set to kick off this weekend.

Chairman of the PNG National Rugby League Competition (PNG NRLC), Adrian Chow said this weekend’s games will be played in Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka and Wabag.

“Later rounds will see games in all our other centres in Kokopo, Minj and Mendi.

Chow pointed out that the new national competition offers opportunities as well as challenges.

The eight: NCDC Vipers, Kroton Hela Wigmen, Agmark Rabaul Gurias, Reigning premiers Lae Snax Tigers, Bintangor Goroka Lahanis, Waghi Tumbe, PRK Mendi Muruks and EPG Enga Mioks.

Chairman of the newly revamped PNG National Rugby League Competition, Adrian Chow said nine applications to participate were received.

The application from the Mt Hagen Eagles was rejected.

 “The Executive Management Board considered all the applications thoroughly and did not accept the Eagles application because it is determined to manage a national competition free of violence.

PNG National Rugby League Competition (PNG-NRLC) Administrator, Stanley Hondina said the deferment was unavoidable as some franchises who expressed interest to participate had sponsorship issues to sort out as well as the other minimum requirements to meet as set out by the PNG-NRLC.

“These issues need to be sorted out therefore the launch has been moved to next Wednesday April 26 with the kick off scheduled for the weekend of April 30th, 2017,” said Hondina.

He said details on which teams will be participating plus the draws and so on will be released soon.

The Hela Governor announced this on Thursday during a media conference after sealing a tourism development partnership with the Tourism Promotion Authority.

During this occasion Tourism and Culture Minister Tobias Kulang presented K100,000 on behalf of TPA to kickstart the Hela Tourism Development Program.

Governor Potape said it was time for the Hela Wigmen to have a venue of their own to play from.

“We should not continue to play out of Mendi. We now have a province of our own…Hela, so our Hela Wigmen must play from Tari,” Governor Potape highlighted.