Alotau to see cup battle

 By JACK AMI 

THE PNG Defence Force Commander’s Rugby 10s Cup was launched at the Sergeants Mess, Murray Barracks last Friday.

It will be staged in Alotau from October 14-18. 

The biennial Commander’s Cup  which pits teams from the six units of the PNGDF, has been played in Lae, Wewak, Port Moresby and Manus and will be staged for the first time in Milne Bay.

PNGDF Chief of Operations Col. Walter Enuma officially launched the Commander’s Cup saying rugby was a true military game and demonstrated all the values of the disciplined forces in teamwork and application.

He challenged the units to bring the standard of the game to the next level since the Commander’s Cup was introduced in 2005.

The six units are 1134 Crocs, Wewak 2RPIR, FSB HQ in pool A and Goldie Eagle Warriors, Taurama 1PIR and Navy Seals in Pool B. 

Commander’s Cup champions Goldie-Air Transport Squadron Eagle Warriors have vowed to defend the title they won at Goldie two years ago in the grueling the four-day tournament .

Captain Mathias Halei was confident his team would reclaim the cup on neutral territory when returning it back to the PNGDF Games Organisers last week.

Air Transport Wing (ATW) Lieutenant Colonel Kisokau Pasangat Powaseu who is tasked with organising air transport said Defence Force aircraft and ships were ready to  transport the units to Alotau and appealed to the units to play hard but fair.

He added that the PNG Rugby Football Union were supporting in kind to also promote, develop and market the code in Alotau.