Call for rugby league to go rural in PNG

PAPUA New Guinea Rugby Football League high performance manager Michael Marum says bringing the sport to rural areas is crucial to identifying and developing more talents.
The PNG Kumuls coach said rural people loved the sport despite the lack of support and proper facilities. Marum recently toured Southern Highlands to carry out programmes for competitions there.
He also visited Goroka and Lae before he returned to Port Moresby.
“It was good to see the conditions of rural PNG and to see how rugby league was played in those areas,” he said.
“It was any eye opener for me.
“Some of them don’t have goal pads, flat playing fields and others, but yet they don’t complain.
“They have so much passion and love for the game. If we say that rugby league is our national sport then rural PNG is where we should focus on for the future.
“I worked with a few leagues in the Highlands and shared some training drills and knowledge. I also shared some ideas with match officials and coaches so it was worthwhile. Most of them aren’t aware of how the game is evolving internationally and such programmes are helpful.
“If we want to be on par with other rugby league nations then we need to invest more resources in rural PNG because that’s where a lot of talents are.”
PNG National Rugby League Competition manager Stanley Hondina said high-performance programmes were essential to developing coaches, trainers, officials and players for the country.