Rugby League World Cup PNG bound

​THE coming of Rugby League World Cup (Paul Barriere Trophy) was launched yesterday at the National Football Stadium by the Rugby League International Federation chief executive officer Andrew Hill.
Hill officiated the launched in the presence of the Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko, PNG Rugby Football League chairman Sandis Tsaka and executive general manager of platinum sponsor Oil Search Gerea Aopi as well as PNG league legend Marcus Bai.
Hill apologised for the delay in the arrival of the trophy which was in transit from Sydney adding that the trophy would to arrive in Port Moresby today.
He said the trophy would have a brief stay in Papua New Guinea and be back in September for the Oil Search tour that would see it travel to other centres of the country to promote the Rugby League World Cup which will see the nation’s capital host three matches.
“It’s a milestone for PNG to have this trophy for the first time and acknowledgement must go to Oil Search and the Sport Minister Justin Tkatchenko,” Hill said.
“When Australia and New Zealand won the bid to host the World Cup this year we wanted to expose a Pacific island nation and PNG put their hands up.”
Tkatchenko said the people of PNG would be ready to embrace the World Cup for the first time and the legacy would remain after the country hosts three pool games at the National Football Stadium.
“When we said that we were going to co-host the Rugby League World Cup with Australia and New Zealand, we didn’t have the facilities to deliver and it was just a dream. “In a short space of time we have proven our worth to host such an event and it has all come to pass because we have worked together, the sponsors, PNGRFL, partners and the rest of the country,” Tkatchenko said.
“We must now look forward to this event and showcase to the world what we are made of.”
Chairman Sandis Tsaka acknowledged the RLIF for having trust in his league and guaranteed a successful hosting of the event in October where the Kumuls would host Ireland, Wales and the US in pool matches. The National