Kumuls-Bati Test cancelled: Tsaka

THE Kumuls’ Test against the visiting Fiji Batis has been cancelled due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Papua New Guinea Football League chairman Sandis Tsaka. The Test was scheduled to be held in Port Moresby this month but following the cancellation, coach Michael Marum’s men would now shift their focus to preparing for this year’s World Cup in England. The World Cup – which will be held from late October – will feature 16 teams, including PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands. “We had hoped for mid-season Tests to continue to showcase the great skill of our Asia-Pacific players, however, we understand that the situation is difficult at the moment because of the challenges of Covid-19,” Asia-Pacific Rugby League chairman Tsaka said. “We thank the participating international associations who worked hard to try to make this happen.” Acting Fiji National Rugby League chief executive Don Natabe said his association understood the challenges. “We always enjoy playing international matches because they’re such a great display of the tradition and passion that our players have for the game, but we understand the need to put health and safety first,” he said. International Rugby League Southern Hemisphere general manager Jeremy Edwards said the focus was now on rugby league’s global showpiece event. “We’re working towards an exciting World Cup,” he said.