World Cup tour kicks off

Sports

SPORTING history is being made as the iconic Paul Barrière Trophy began its tour of Papua New Guinea yesterday.
The tour started in Lae, Morobe, and will visit significant locations in the country, including Wau and Bulolo, the district where the game was first played during the 1930s.
The trophy will be taken to other locations by Oct 13. Papua New Guineans around the country will get a chance to see the trophy which is to be presented to the winners of the sport’s pinnacle international event, the Rugby League World Cup (RLWC).
The trophy was in Port Moresby briefly in April and has now returned for its nationwide tour.
From Morobe the trophy will be taken to Goroka, Tari, Kokopo and Kavieng and many places in between.
The tour is reminiscent of the successful Oil Search Pacific Games Relay in 2015.
“We are excited to bring the Paul Barrière Trophy to the people of PNG that live beyond Port Moresby,’’ Leon Buskens, general manager PNG stakeholder engagement, Oil Search, said.
“PNG is a proud rugby league nation and this trophy is the most prestigious prize in international rugby league. As a proud PNG company, whose core operations lie beyond Port Moresby, it made sense for us to partner with the tournament organisers and take the trophy beyond the city to the provinces of PNG.
“The Oil Search Trophy Tour is about connecting as many people as we can to the excitement of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, most of whom may not be able to travel to Port Moresby or watch the games on television.
“Oil Search is proud to be a platinum partner of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup in PNG, platinum sponsor of the Oil Search PNG Orchids, PNG’s first ever international women’s rugby team and naming rights sponsor of the world-class Oil Search National Football Stadium.”
The company thanked all the partnering companies for the tour: Lae Biscuit Company, Harmony Gold, Pacific Helicopters and Newcrest Mining.