Tigers to play Aviators

PACIFIC rugby league’s annual club championship clash between the Papua New Guinea and Fiji premiers will take place in Sigatoka next year.
The Melanesian Cup fixture will see the Digicel Cup champions the Lae Snax Tigers play the Nadi Aviators – a team made up of players from four clubs in the Nadi Zone namely the Sabeto Roosters, Ravoravo Rabbitohs, and Nadi Eels – at Lawaqa Park on Feb 18.
The inaugural club championship fixture last year saw the Agmark Gurias rout the Sabeto Roosters 42-2 at the Sir John Guise Stadium.
Tigers coach Stanley Tepend said his squad would start their training for the match on Jan 3.
“We’ve retained most of this year’s grand final-winning side for the game in Fiji,” Tepend said.
“We’ve done our homework and we know they’re (Aviators) taking this game very seriously.
“They have a few of the Fiji Residents players in their side and they’ve already started training and we hear they’ll go into a two-week camp right before the match.”
Tepend, whose side broke a 14-year drought when they beat the Gurias 14-8 in Sept 4 final at the SJGS, ironically beat the Kokopo-based 14-12 side in the 2002 final.
Tepend, a former dual international in rugby league and AFL, confirmed the Tigers would have their Hunters players available for the match.
“We’re lucky that Michael (Marum, Hunters coach) has okayed the release of five of our premiership-winning side who are now part of his Q-Cup side. That means we’ll have David Loko, Junior Rop, Mafu Kales, Noel Joel and Anderson Benford for the Fiji trip,” Tepend said.
He said Hunters utility Warren Glare, who had been cut from Marum’s pre-season training group, would also be included in the Tigers 19-man squad.
Tepend said centre Pasu Awani, who was also dumped by Marum from the Prime Minister’s XIII squad, would be part of his travelling party. Meanwhile, Aviators coach Vela Tawake said his team’s preparations had been going on well.
“The team have been preparing during this festive season and it’s good to see the boys sacrificing their time just to come and train because they know how important this game is to them and to the rugby league community,” Tawake said.
“The boys have not given up on anything despite the challenges and hardships they go through and they have been frequently coming for training and working hard. “We know the Tigers are the champions from PNG so we are working very hard.”
Aviators team captain Akuila Utoniika said they would expect a tough match in Feb.
“We know the Tigers are a very strong team but we won’t be intimidated by that and we are expecting a tough and physical match from them,” Utoniika said.
“My teammates have been training hard hitting the gym and we’re just looking forward for the game against the Tigers. “Last year PNG (Gurias) beat the Sabeto Roosters during the Champions Vs Champions and most of those players are now with the Aviators team, but come next year we will try and change that,” Utoniika said.
The Aviators team have been getting good support from the community and rugby league supporters.
“We are so fortunate to have support from our families, communities and the rugby league family and we just want to thank them.”