Mendi rejects Ipatas Cup

THE Mendi Rugby Football League says the Ipatas Cup organisers have not fulfilled past obligations to the league and were therefore not welcome in the provincial capital.
Mendi league executive Barclay Tenza said his league was now putting a restriction on Ipatas Cup competition from playing matches and using Mendi league facilities to run its competition.
Tenza said Ipatas Cup had not settled several grievances with Mendi league from the last competition.
He listed the issues that needed to be settled before games could be run in Mendi.
l The management of the competition failed to pay field fees last year;
l The management failed to engage Mendi League officials to facilitate the competition last year and the same situation was happening again this year;
l The organiser of the 2012 competition has failed to register one of the most consistent premier teams, Kawaso Sera Hawks despite the team’s fulfilment of all requirements and;
l The organisers do not assist teams who travel in from all over the province (SHP) in terms of transport and accommodation considering the fact that all participating teams pay K750,000.
“Considering the stated facts, the Mendi RFL executives have decided to not entertain the Ipatas competition,” Tenza said in a statement.
“If they insist then they must address our concerns and pay what they owe before Friday.
“They must also pay last year’s unsettled fees.
“Failing that it would be advisable for them to approach Tari or Pangia leagues and arrange their matches to be played in those parts of the province.”
Tenza added that his league also had its own off-season competitions to run and did not have to deal with the burden of fielding extra games on their oval.
Some of the other competitions were: the Agiru Cup, the Joseph Kopol Cup, and the Mendi Muruks selection trials on March 9-12.