Eagles are first to sign for Ipatas Cup

 THE young guns from Porebada, the Maiari Eagles, are the first rural team in the Southern region to be accepted by the Ipatas Rugby League Cuporganisers.

The cup prize money has been increased from K100,000 to K200,000 for the 2014 challenge, with only 68 teams from the 21 provinces.

Competition  starts in January.

Competition chief executive officer Timothy Lepa was invited to the Motuan coastal village to receive the affiliation and registration fees from Eagles executives.

Lepa said he was honoured to accept the affiliation and registration and to begin a new partnership with the Eagles as another breeding ground to identify and promote grassroots talents from the Papuan village.

He said the village had created history with former Kumuls second rower Arebo Taumaku as the first ever Papua New Guinean player to play in the Rest of the World team to challenge the Australian Kangaroos.

Lepa, Eagles executives and players welcomed Taumaku’s presence at the ceremony as it boosted and motivated their team spirit.

Other former Kumuls produced during the DCA days were Tara Gau, Helangi Kovea, his younger brother Dairi, Mea Morea and the late Greeny Mea.

Mea’s son Davis is the leading force behind the Eagles campaign in the Port Moresby Rugby League competition and they were unlucky to miss out on the ninth spot. 

Lepa is confident of recruiting two or three players from the team to play for the Enga Mioks in the 2014 Digicel Cup.

Eagles president and founder Morea Baru said since they could not revive the orginial Porebada team, the DCA Bulldogs, they instead affiliated to the Pom Suburban League and gained promotion to the PRL after winning that Subruban title. 

Baru said this was a great opportunity for the team to play in the Southern leg as they could expose many village talents. Team manager Simon Maima has given the Porebadans a new touch of life with the inclusion of his brothers to support the village based team to end a successful season.

Senior player Mea said they hoped to repeat their feats as the DCA Bulldogs who had won the Cambridge Cup club championship in the 1990s.

The Eagles are preparing for the Lakwharu League Nines Cup at Tubusereia village, outside Port Moresby.