PM’s 13 to make a return

By PARKER TAMBUA
THE traditional Prime Minister’s 13 clash between Papua New Guinea and Australia will return for the first time in four years, but the venue is yet to be confirmed, says an official.
PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) chief executive Stanley Hondina said yesterday that the Australian Rugby League Commission was still yet to decide whether the clash would be played at its traditional venue, the Santos National Football Stadium, in Port Moresby.
He said the commission was also considering hosting the event in Australia for the first time due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) and low vaccination rate in PNG.
“PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka and I met with commission chairman Peter V’Landys and National Rugby League (NRL) chief executive Andrew Abdo when we were in Sydney for the Pacific Test last month,” Hondina said.
“So at the moment, they (NRL and ARLC) are working on a model and we don’t know the venue yet, but they will get back to us as soon as they finalise everything.
“Usually, the Prime Minister’s 13 is a commercial avenue for PNGRFL and we always host it here in Port Moresby.
“But due to Covid-19 and with the low vaccination rate in PNG, the ARLC and NRL are still planning on where to host it.
“The World Cup is also happening around the corner, so we’ll await their response.”
Hondina said the clash the only international fixture between both countries before the World Cup and that the Australian Kangaroos would look to use it as a warm-up match.
“The Kangaroos will use the PM’s13 as a warm-up game, so we are expecting a full-strength team except for players who will playing in the NRL grand final,” he said.
The PM’s 13 fixture last featured in Port Moresby in 2018.
The international friendly was introduced in 2005.