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.

PNGRFL ANNOUNCES PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS SQUADS
The Papua New Guinea Rugby League (PNGRFL) CEO, Mr. Stanley Hondina together with PNG LNG Kumuls Chairman, Wapu Sonk in a press release, announced the 21-person squads for the upcoming Pacific Championships this October – November 2023. Papua New Guinea will participate with the PNG LNG Kumuls and the Santos PNG Orchids, playing matches in Port Moresby. 
The teams under Head Coaches Justin Holbrook of the PNG LNG Kumuls and Ben Jeffries of the Santos PNG Orchids, are set to field the best available athletes in the sport, competing at the highest possible level and also exposing talent having come through the existing PNGRFL pathways. 
Mr. Hondina shared, “With the excitement from the Prime Minister’s XIII and finally having international exhibition and test matches now returning to PNG, we are seeing the different levels of the pathway for our game highlight the ability of our pool of players from the various national championships and now the mentioned matches.”

​2023 Pacific Championships Schedule 
Week One – October 14-15 

• Australia v Samoa (men) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
• Australia v New Zealand (women) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium Townsville
• PNG v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
• Samoa v Fiji (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby 

Week Two – October 21-22 

• New Zealand v Samoa (men) at Eden Park, Auckland
• New Zealand v Tonga (women) at Eden Park, Auckland
• Fiji v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
• PNG v Cook Islands (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby