Pacific

Sport news in brief for February 10

13:36 pm on 10 February 2023

The Digicel Cup is Papua New Guinea's premier domestic rugby league competition. Photo: PNG National Rugby League Competition

PNG league back in action

The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League will resume its programmes after a two-year hiatus.

The National reports CEO of the PNG Rugby Football League, Stanley Hondina, saying this year they want to ensure all the sanctioned programmes will be run, and in accordance to the strategic plan and the governance reforms approved by PNGRFL.

He said the new format includes requirements for affiliations for member associations, and the establishment of provincial rugby league boards.

Hondina said the PNGRFL's focus is at the community level where they want to get the leagues aligned to the new model.

Moore and Robinson win Hawaii surf titles

The World Surf League finished its first major competition at Oahu's North Shore in Hawaii on Wednesday.

Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore won the women's Billabong Pro Pipeline event.

It was only the second time women have had a full-length Championship Tour competition at Pipeline, which is regarded as one of the toughest waves on the planet.

Jack Robinson from Western Australia beat Leonardo Fioravanti from Italy in the men's final.

The Championship Tour will remain in Hawaii with the next competition at Sunset Beach.

Vipers looking to enter Aussie competition

The chairman of the Port Moresby Vipers says the club will be looking to field a team in the New South Wales Cup rugby league competition in Australia in the near future.

The Post Courier reports Vipers chairman Newton Albert saying they are negotiating ways to expose the local talents into the international rugby league communities and markets.

Albert said there are many local talented players and the PNG Hunters system alone cannot cater for the current trend and demand.

He said if the Vipers franchise is accepted to the New South Wales Cup - which is the feeder league to the NRL - the chances will be higher for the players.

The Hunters programme has recently affiliated with the Dolphins, the NRL's newest club.

Kumuls pair in Cowboys team

Papua New Guinea Kumuls duo Sylvester Namo and Robert Derby have been named in the North Queensland Cowboys team that will take on the Dolphins in a

NRL trial match on Sunday.

Cowboys head coach Todd Payten has picked Derby to start on the wing with new recruit Namo coming off the bench.

Kumuls World Cup front rower Namo signed a train and replacement contract with the Cowboys for the full 2023 season.

The match at Barlow Park in Cairns will also feature PNG players in the Dolphins squad, with head coach Wayne Bennett naming Jeremiah Simbiken to start in the second row.

Hunters trio Judah Rimbu, Roderick Tai, and Sherwin Tanabi were named on the Dolphins' extended bench.