Port Moresby Vipers to test squad in two trial matches

THE Port Moresby Vipers will play two trial matches against Southern Blacks and Motu Koita Lagatois at the Moresby South Stadium on Sunday.
Coach Leonard Tarum told The National yesterday that the franchise would field two teams to face the district side and the Digicel Cup bid side Lagatois.
Tarum said Vipers team 2 would play the Southern Blacks (12.30 pm kick-off).
This team will be made up of new players who took part in the franchise’s pre-season training while Vipers team 1 which is the top side from last year, will face Lagatois in the main game at 3pm.
“We have completed our five weeks of pre-season training last week and this week we are going to have our first trials,” said the 2013 premiership winning coach.
“This is the opportunity for the young players that joined us to train and trial to show their worth.
“We will keep an eye on the Vipers team 2 which is made up of all the new recruits.
“Vipers team 1, the regular players will also have to perform as young players are competing for spots.”
Tarum said senior players in the likes of Ben Wemin, Shalom Bire and captain Ade Kawa would feature in the trials.
Meanwhile, Tarum said a 22-man squad to travel to Mendi next week for the long awaited Southern Highlands Hope Cup — an initiative of Governor Powes Parkop — will be announced after the trials.
Tarum said the Vipers currently had 50 players in the train-on squad and that they would use the upcoming matches to trim the side down to 30 players for the Digicel Cup season.