Gurias to change base

THE Rabaul Gurias have relocated to Port Moresby for the opening rounds of the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup season due to current renovation works at the Tokua Airport Runway.
The Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition has been working closely with Gurias before they made the decision.
Gurias chairman Steven Nightingale said it was a difficult decision to make but was for the betterment of the national competition.
“We had to make the call to relocate to Port Moresby. This will allow us to not only start the competition on time, but also ensure the well-being of all players, both our team and those travelling,” Nightingale said.
The reconstruction of the runway resulted in the inability to ensure consistent travel for both the Gurias and visiting teams’ travel.
A staged travel scheduled into and out of Kokopo was considered, however, the cascading impact on the players, potential delay, and on-going uncertainty greatly influenced this decision
PNG Rugby Football League’s general manager of pathways and performance Tony Archer thanked the Gurias for raising the concerns.
“We have been able to work closely with them to achieve an interim solution that is in the best interest of the club, its players and the competition,” Archer said of the relocation.
“The relocation will have some impact on matches in our first few rounds. We have worked with the clubs affected by this change, and we are confident that the impact will be minimal.
“Our ultimate objective is for Gurias’ fans to see their team perform at home games in the second part of the season.”