Rising stars vie for Lahanis spots

Business, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday 27th January 2012

By ZACHERY PER
ASPIRING rugby league players vying for spots in the Bintangor Goroka Lahanis will take to the field on Sunday when the 2012 Simon Sia off-season rugby league competition kicks off in Goroka today.
Bintangor Lahanis coach and a member of the organising committee, Peter Danga said yesterday 12 teams would be participating in the competition.
They have been slotted into two pools – A and B – and will be participating at the National Sports Institute.
Pool A has Goroka Reds, Gahuku, Central Bena, Henganofi, Kainantu and Ufeto while pool B has Goroka White, Goroka Grey, Lower Bena, School Boys, Asaro and Okapa.
The games will run for three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) for two weekends before the finals.
Danga said selectors would also be busy trying to identify raw talents.
He said the selectors would come up with a possible and probable side to play against each other.
From this match, they would select a final squad to play the current Bintangor Lahanis.
“A 22-man Lahanis side will be picked to go into training,” Danga said.
He said the focus would be on promising youngsters coming into the rugby league scene.
“Age and size will not matter as far as they have the skills and determination,” Danga said.
Major sponsor Simon Sia said he would spend more than K20,000 to run the competition of which K15,500 will go to prize money during the finals.
The winners will claim the inaugural Simon Sia off-season rugby league cup.