PNGSF assures safety

PAPUA New Guinea Sports Foundation (PNGSF) executive director Albert Veratau says there are no issues concerning the security of visiting Vanuatu Rugby Union who will participate in the Oceania Cup that starts this week in Port Moresby.
The Oct 19-27 championship is scheduled to start on Wednesday when Solomon Islands take on Vanuatu in the opening match at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium.
Veratau was responding to a Vanuatu Daily Post report that questioned the security of its national rugby team after an on-field incident at Korman Stadium in Port Vila, Vanuatu last month.
The men’s national football team, the Kapuls, after beating host Vanuatu development team in the Melanesian Spearhead Group Prime Ministers’ Cup, were harassed by Vanuatu supporters.
Veratau said PNG did not demand an apology for the incident.
“This thing happens everywhere in football and for PNG, we just want to leave everything on the field,” he said.
The tournament returns after a two-year Covid-induced hiatus. Papua New Guinea Pukpuks claimed the title during the 2019 championship held in Port Moresby.
Oceania Rugby interim general manager Wayne Schuster said Vanuatu has not played in an Oceania Rugby senior international men’s competition since the competition was established in 2007.
Schuster said the championship would reignite regular competition pathways for all the unions.
“We know there is a vast amount of rugby talent and potential across all of our Pacific nations, tournaments like this only serve to grow and develop the 15s game in all unions.
“We are sincerely grateful to Papua New Guinea Rugby Union and the country of Papua New Guinea for their determination in hosting the 2022 Oceania Rugby Men’s Championship, and we are excited with their vision to grow the competitiveness of the 15’s game not only in Papua New Guinea, but also across other nations in the region,” Schuster said ahead of the tournament.
The competition structure will see one main pool and round-robin playoffs with the first round to begin on Wednesday.
Teams eligible to participate in the tournament include American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Nauru, Niue, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.
Professional development opportunities will run in conjunction with the championship for high performance coaches, strength and conditioning coaches and match officials for the participating countries in Port Moresby this week.