Four premiers to face off

THE Southern Confederate Club Championship will see four premiers from the region’s Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League-sanctioned competitions do battle at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby today.
The premiers are Tarangau (Port Moresby Rugby Football League), Kwikila Dragons (Rigo), Itisora Broncos (Siouposa) and Dona Mina (Koiari).
Confederate director Gwaibo Mairi said PNGRFL had given the approval for the country’s club champions to face Fiji’s premiers.
“The Southern Confederate champions could represent PNG early next year since other confederates did not have their competition this year,” he said.
Mairi said PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka and his Fijian counterpart had agreed to omit the Digicel Cup champions from the Melanesian fixture as PNG’s rugby league standard was higher than that of its fellow Pacific Island nation.
Tarangau will start as the favourites ahead of Dona Mina.
Returning from Digicel Cup duties with the Rabaul Gurias, Andickson Yamason will boost Tarangau’s youthful pack who will be captained by Bravo Kaspa.
Dona Mina will count on the experience of former PNG international and Port Moresby Viper Josiah Abavu to carry their hopes in the tournament.
Fixtures: Wed, Dec 23 — Broncos v Dragons (10am kick-off), Dona Minas v Tarangau (11.30am), game one winners v game two winners (2pm).