Papua New Guinea’s national rugby league team made a strong start to their Pacific Bowl campaign with a 22-10 win over Fiji on Saturday night. The victory puts the Kumuls in a prime position to advance to the top tier of the Pacific Championships in 2025.
The match, held in Suva, marked Fiji's first home game in 24 years, and the Fijian fans filled the stadium with excitement. However, the Kumuls quickly silenced the crowd by taking control of the first half and building a 16-0 lead by halftime. Fiji struggled to match Papua New Guinea’s pace and intensity.

The Papua New Guinea Kumuls are eager to raise their profile and establish themselves as one of rugby league’s top-tier teams as they gear up to face the Fiji Bati in their opening Pacific Cup match. With the possibility of facing top teams such as Australia, New Zealand, or Tonga, the Kumuls are motivated to prove they belong among the sport’s elite. Led by seasoned players like Nene Macdonald, the team is ready to embrace the challenge and push for recognition at the highest level.

Macdonald, who has represented PNG in 16 Test matches, expressed his confidence in the team’s ability to compete against the best. He welcomed the opportunity to face one of the top three Pacific Cup nations if the Kumuls manage to retain their title under the new promotion-relegation system. “We need to win the upcoming matches, and so does Fiji. We’re playing to earn a spot in the main competition. Every player dreams of going up against top teams like Australia and New Zealand,” Macdonald said.
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Papua New Guinea international Edene Gebbie is diligently working to attain peak fitness before making his debut with the Whitehaven Rugby League Club. Having recently joined the club during the final stages of preseason, Gebbie, a former SP PNG Hunter, missed the recent Cumbrian derby against Barrow Raiders in the 1985 Cup fixture on Sunday, where Whitehaven suffered a 12-18 defeat at ORTUS Rec, United Kingdom.

Jonty Gorley, the head coach of the club, explained that Gebbie has acclimatized well but requires additional time to ensure he is fully prepared before donning the No.1 jersey. In an interview with BBC Cumbria Sports, Gorley stated, "He’s only been in the country a couple of weeks. I don’t think we’re playing him next week. He is a bit off, to be fair, and our team is working that out."

The Papua New Guinea LNG Kumuls team has been announced to face Fiji Bati in the final round of the Pacific Championships 

THE Papua New Guinea Kumuls camp welcomed the rest of its United Kingdom-based players this week with Rhyse Martin, Edwin Ipape, Wellington Albert, McKenzie Yei and Keven Appo joining the squad.
The five were in training with the team yesterday and are likely to figure in coach Justin Holbrook’s team which will be announced today to take on the Fiji Bati on Sunday.
After the Kumuls 46-10 win over the Cook Islands in week one of the Pacific Championships a fortnight ago, Holbrook will have to decide on who makes the match-day 17 and who has to sit out the fixture against the Bati.
Kumuls 2022 Rugby League World Cup skipper and Leeds Rhinos forward Martin told the media yesterday that he was grateful and excited to be able to play for PNG.