Oil Search lauds Orchids, Kumuls for historic wins

The National Sports, Uncategorized

OIL Search congratulated the Papua New Guinea Orchids and Kumuls for their respective historic wins against the England and Great Britain Lions over the weekend.
“We are proud to have been the sponsor of the Orchids since the team began, and proudly continue our support for the national women’s team,” said Oil Search PNG country chairman Gerea Aopi.
“At Oil Search, we are committed to empowering women throughout PNG. We are honoured to support the team and are delighted about their victory.”
He also thanked the coaching staff, PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) and other sponsors for supporting the Orchids leading up to the win.
Oil Search have been the inaugural sponsor of rugby league since the launch of the national women’s team in August 2017, just months before the Women’s Rugby League World cup in Sydney, Australia.
During the 2017 launch, managing director Peter Botten pointed out Oil Search’s strong advocacy for ending violence against women in PNG.
Oil Search and the Oil Search Foundation strive to use rugby league as a catalyst to drive positive change for women across the country.
“PNG is a proud rugby league-playing nation. As a proud PNG company, we are delighted to be a part of promoting PNG and the amazing talent it produces,” Botten said.
Aopi said: “Our faith and commitment to the Orchids is there and we are proud of their performance, and for scoring their first ever win in just over two years — a great victory.”
Whilst the women’s game has been played in various capacities since the early 1970s, it was never properly organised nor recognised as a formal competition until February 2014 when the PNGRFL board formally ratified it to recognise, incorporate and sanction the women’s rugby league programme into the national rugby league structure.
Oil Search has a three-year sponsorship with the PNGRFL for the Orchids.
History — The Oil Search PNG Orchids

  • Oil Search PNG Orchids launched in August 2017;
  • played first test match against Australia in September 2017 in Port Moresby. Lost 42-14;
  • won their warm-up match ahead of RLWC2017 30-6 against Far North Queensland All Stars in Innisfail, near Cairns;
  • played in RLWC2017 in Sydney in November 2017. Lost to England (36-8), Canada (22-8) and New Zealand (38-0);
    2018
  • last year, didn’t play any test matches but played an international against the Australian Prime Minister’s 13 and a trial match against Brisbane Broncos. Lost both
  • this year, played in the mid-season Pacific Test against Fiji Bulikula for the first time. Lost 28-0 against a Fiji team comprising mostly Australia and New Zealand-based players;
  • won silver at the inaugural women’s rugby league 9s tournament at the Pacific Games in Samoa in July 2019 (Fiji won gold; Cook Islands won bronze). A big confidence boost for many of the current players;
  • lost to Brisbane Broncos in a trial match in Port Moresby in August 2019;
  • played in the inaugural Rugby League World Cup 9s in Sydney in October 2019. Lost tough pool matches against England, New Zealand and Australia and,
  • Played first test against England in Goroka last week. Lost 24-10. Saturday’s match was the second test in that series.