PNG rugby starts path to normalcy

THE interim board of the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football Union met with World Rugby and Oceania Rugby last week in an effort to revive the sport after years of political and legal battles.
In 2016 the PNG government and Rugby Union fell out over accusations of political interference.
World Rugby subsequently warned the then Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko not to interfere in the running or decision-making of rugby union in the country.
A delegation of the court-appointed Interim Board of the PNGRFU, including Ben Frame, Michael Uiari and Syd Yates, met with World Rugby Council member and Oceania Rugby president Richard Sapias, and general manager Bruce Cook, at Rugby Australia’s Headquarters in Sydney.
Sapias, a former PNG Rugby Union president, said the discussions were an important first step.
“The meeting was an appropriate way to initiate our working relations with the Interim Board and the outcomes we achieved demonstrated our joint effort for the betterment of the game in PNG,” Sapias said.
“We have commenced our planning to rebuild the game in PNG and we are moving forward with a player-centred approach in our solutions.”
Delegation member Michael Uiari said the Interim Board were leaving the past behind now and have plotted a 12-month plan to take the union forward.
“Key milestones have been determined and we will be working very hard to achieve these both on time and on target,” Uiari said.
Interim Board independent Syd Yates said the troubles of the past would not interfere in building a strong base for the future of the PNGRFU.
“The collegiality in the group resulted in quality decision-making and these high-level outcomes will guarantee success in our efforts and work,” Yates said.
“We needed this meeting to ground us in our endeavours as a team,” Frame said.
“I am very confident about the road we are taking now, for the future of players and the game in PNG.”
Cook said the joint-meeting agreed to also implement a process to keep all key stakeholders informed of the plans and outcomes of the Interim Board as they plot the way forward. – RadioNZ