Kumuls to play for points

By MELTON PAIS
WITH the Oceania Cup being introduced, instead of playing one test match a year, the PNG Kumuls will play two or three tests that will go towards their world ranking.
PNG Rugby Football League Chairman Sandis Tsaka said PNG was now in line to play Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand and other Pacific Island nations next year in preparation for the 2021 World Cup.
Tsaka said the matches coming up were tests and the Rugby League International Federation would sanction them so they would affect PNG’s rankings.
At the start of the 2010s, PNG were in the 14th spot but after the 2017 World Cup, the Kumuls had improved four places to 10th spot, .
“After securing the 10 spot, they will defend their position or lift their ranking in the coming World Cup in England in 2021,” Tsaka said.
He said at the last World Cup when PNG lost to England in the quarterfinals, they automatically qualified for the 2021 event.
“When you make the quarterfinals, you automatically qualify for the next World Cup.
“However, for the Orchids, they will have to play a few more tests and follow the qualification process to qualify for the Women’s World Cup also 2021 in England,” he said.
“Only two women’s teams have qualified — Australia and England — while the other countries including New Zealand had to go through the qualifying process.
Meanwhile, Tsaka also made comments regarding the Kumuls selection saying selections from the second tier competitions in England had been restricted but considering a few key Kumuls players, PNGRFL will have to look at the quality of the competitions there and make changes to the selection policy if need be.