PNG's Digicel Cup delayed amid player Covid-19 cases

Covid-19 has again disrupted Papua New Guinea's domestic rugby league competition, The Digicel Cup.

The 2021 Digicel Cup Season was originally to begin last month but was delayed following a surge of coronavirus cases in the country.

It was then scheduled for kick-off this weekend but has been delayed a further three weeks despite officials having urged participants to adhere to strict Covid-19 protocols.

PNG's National Rugby League Competition Chair Adrian Chow says the new delay was due to members of one team being confirmed positive for Covid-19 during routine tests.

Chow said in a statement the two members have been isolated but would not name them or their team for privacy reasons.

"The rest of the members were cleared as 'negative' for the Covid-19 virus," said Chow.

"The two affected members were immediately isolated pending further investigations and testings whilst the rest of the team has been put into 'bubble-isolation' for the required 14 days."

The competition is now set to get under way the weekend of May 29th.

PNG loves their game

Earlier this week and prior to the latest set-back, PNG Rugby Football League CEO Stanley Hondina talked about how rugby league is the national sport in PNG and that people are looking forward to supporting their teams.

"They love their game and some teams have been in camp since November last year and they can't wait to get out there and play," he said.

"But with the Covid and everything that is happening we have to keep a close tab on it until we've got some certainty around having the games back, so they're all super excited and they're looking forward to this week."

Last year, the Digicel Cup was the second major rugby league competition in the world, following the NRL, to resume in the wake of Covid-19.

But Stanley Hondina said a lot has changed in the last 12 months.

"We've been through it but the message we are giving out to the teams and the spectators is we can't compare last year to this year. The statistics speak for itself: last year no case and now we have some good number of cases and some deaths so it is really this out there."

The latest delay is testament to that statement.

An urgent meeting of all franchise chairs and chief executives has been called for this Sunday in Port Moresby to discuss further appropriate actions to implement this year's tournament safely.

The Hela Wigmen are defending champions after beating the Lae Tigers 16 - 14 in last year's the grand final.