By DAVID KAPI
The PNG Rugby Football League has announced a 25-strong Telikom PNG Kumuls touring squad for the France and Wales tour.
The PNG national selectors picked the team on Saturday after watching Telikom PNG Origin rugby league match involving local based players (Residents) and overseas based players (Internationals) at Lloyd Robson Oval in Port Moresby.
Internationals won 27-26 in extra time (See match report, page 46).
Kumuls coach Adrian Lam said that he believed the best was chosen to take on France and Wales, and remained confident that the tour will be a successful one building up to the Ruby League World Cup in Australia at the end of next year.
Lam, who came up with the Origin concept, said it was good for selecting the best and fair for all players to show what they can offer.
Most old hands and stakeholders in the game believe it is the way forward for development of rugby league as the national sport.
The squad: (Residents) - Menzie Yere, Michael Mark, Gimapau Keimelo, Jessie Joe, Benjamin John, Rodney Pora, Charlie Wabo, Nigel Hukula, George Moni, Joseph Omae, Nixon Kolo, Porian Bal, Nicko Slain
(Internationals) - John Wilshere, Tu Maori, George Keppa, Steve Franciscus, Keith Peters, Kevin Pior, Paul Aiton, Trevor Exton, James Nightingale, Stanley Gene, Makali Aizu and Rod Griffin.
Team officials: Adrian Lam (coach) Michael Marum and Brendan Lam (assistant coaches), Mat Natucsh (physio) and Joe Walter (trainer)
The team leaves for Wales and France today.
Former Kumuls and PNG School Boys Rugby League chairman Ifysoe Segeyaro sang praise that this is the best thing to ever happen to rugby league in this country.
“This will open up pathway for development in the code and such structures are important. We can only improvise and go forward. This is the best format available to select a Kumuls team,” Segeyaro said.