Enga keen to host Kiwis

The National Sports

By JACK AMI
INTERNATIONAL rugby league could come to Enga this year if Governor Sir Peter Ipatas wins a bid to host a Pacific Cup Test between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
The Kiwi men’s and women’s teams are scheduled to tour the country in November and Sir Peter is keen to stage one of the fixtures at Wabag’s Aipus Oval.
The venue has already hosted a team from outside PNG when the SP PNG Hunters played the Easts Tigers in the Intrust Super Cup’s Country Round last year.

Sir Peter Ipatas

Sir Peter told a press conference to announce the sponsorship support of New Britain Palm Oil for the Coca-Cola Ipatas Cup offseason tournament in Port Moresby yesterday.
Sir Peter said his government was prepared to spend up to K3 million to upgrade Aipus Oval for the test.
“We are putting the money in this project to ensure that the standard and requirements of the International Rugby League Federation is met,” he said.
“We are bidding because we are confident we can host the Pacific Cup Test in the province.”
Sir Peter said the new look venue would have a rebuilt grandstand and dressing rooms and toilets and the playing surface would be improved including the fencing.
“We have met the requirements of Queensland Rugby League Intrust Super Cup to stage the Country Round between the Hunters and Tigers last year,” he said.
“This game was hailed a success with the people of Enga accepting and welcoming the Tigers and Hunters from Wapenamanda Airport to Wabag town and also the venue at Aipus Oval. But we are still working on the venue to have better facilities.”
Sir Peter said Goroka and Mt Hagen were the preferred venues for internationals in the Highlands region but Wabag was also capable of joining that select group of provinces.
“We proved critics wrong that we can stage international events in Wabag. People thought that we would never host it but we just did that.”
He said the last time Wabag hosted an international fixture was in 1998.
The last time the Kumuls played the Kiwis was during the 2013 World Cup in England.

9 comments

  • Sir that is a good initiative.As Engan says “Action Governor”. cos your action speaks much then talking.Less Talk,More Action.
    Thank you for that initiative.
    Last year game between Hunters and Tigers have been successful and hope if this game hosted again at Aipus Ovul then much interesting and will be successful too.

    Thank you, Sir Peter Ipatas.
    The Father of ENGA MIOKS.

  • Very good initiative to spend K3million to up grade for that one game. Just a thought if it’s viable. Seeing the location it’s not central. That’s only my thought

  • Trying to have an international event in our province level is a sign of civilization taking place but first and foremost we should have civilized our attitude first ” yes we have been continuously developing HR but yet we have issues up in our mind ” there are more killing up at Wabag/Enga on going unnecessarily. Just a point to add.

  • People of Enga need to fix ourselves if we knows that we are not fixed. Enga’s Father Sir Ipatas, you are too good and great leader out of all the MP’s in the Parlt. You got many things out of PNG gov’t both previous and current regime. Too powerful leader can manipulate the gov’t system.

  • Forget it Ipatas. You will get nothing out of hosting international rugby matches up there in your “last corner”. You better spend the money on things that would benefit your people like setting up sports centers in the all the districts so that your people may participate and keep out of trouble. Don’t thing hosting rugby games is your answer to social problems. Short-sighted!

  • More International exposure in Wabag will hopefully improve Wabag peoples attitude and instill more westernization. K3 million is worth the cause. Surely and certainly little by little peoples mentality will improve for the better. People don’t change over night but gradually they will if more emphasis is directed towards the cause. Keep the momentum rolling Governor..

  • Thank you Honourable Sir Peter Ipatas for your continuous visionary leadership. I have always agreed and welcome the concept of developing rugby league in the country.
    Despite views from others, I believe that development changes people’s mind set and attitude. People are always susceptive to the changes around them and the have always adapted to these changes. If we can bring development to our people back home in our provinces, people will adapt to these positive changes and will develop a positive attitude towards it.
    Last year’s hosting of the Tigers and Hunters game in Wabag proved critics wrong as it turned out be a success.
    Bringing positive changes and developments to our people in our various provinces will only change our people’s mindset and attitude. Rugby league is the way forward for positive changes for our people way back in our provinces. I

  • Thanks to action and visionary’ leader Sir Ipatas to host a such international match up in the highlands. But we experience continuous killing n that we need to put it right.

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