Ipatas Cup makes progress

PAPUA New Guinea’s biggest off-season rugby league competition, Coca-cola Ipatas Cup (CCIC), has been improving each year since its establishment in 2002, according to an official.
CCIC manager Sam Koi gave credit to sponsors, clubs and coordinators throughout the country for their efforts in ensuring each season was a success.
He said at a press conference in Port Moresby yesterday that CCIC had experienced so many issues when it first started but added the competition had seen improvement.
“Over time, we have seen big improvements,” Koi said.
“Seven years ago, we had hiccups like mid-week games, postponements, no referees and we had teams turning up without qualifying.
“If you look back, for the last four years, we have addressed most of these issues.
“We’ve really raised the standards of the competition.
“I think a lot of teams, their sponsors have confidence in how the competition is running.
“They acknowledge and appreciate what we do behind the scenes to organise the games in each centre.
“Regardless of the results, most teams show respect for each other and that’s huge.
“Credit to all the hardworking staff, the people on the ground who made it happen.
“Our judiciary has improved as well.
“We’ve banned a couple of teams from hosting the competition because of violence and it has helped.
“Our goal is to make this competition a standard one and not just like any other offseason league.”
“We also have a record of clubs that participate in the competition.
“Now we can identify player movement.”
Koi said CCIC had allowed them to connect with people from different parts of the country and that he hoped to see the competition played in all provinces in the future.