Schoolboys league fever hits town

By KEVIN PAMBA
THE PNG NRL Bid’s schoolboy rugby league fever has hit Madang, with the resort town starting a competition for eight schools last month.
Madang Rugby League administrator Mark Sagho said on Sunday the schoolboys competition was an arrangement between the PNG NRL Bid and the schools.
He said former Madang player and school teacher, Joe Lai, from Talidig Primary School, was heading the schoolboys competition.
Sagho said the Madang Rugby League was helping by providing its Ron Albert Oval as the venue and running the weekend matches, while Lai and his committee managed the Schoolboys RL.
The schoolboys’ competition runs from 8-11am before the senior MRL matches on Saturdays and Sundays.
Sagho said so far interest had been high judging from the attendance of students and their parents and guardians and more schools expressing an interest.
The schools taking part are Holy Spirit Primary, Kusbau Primary, Lutheran Day Primary, Jomba Primary, Gum Primary, Tusbab Secondary, Good Shepherd High and Madang Christian Academy.
Sagho said Beon Primary, Sagalau Primary and Talidig Primary had expressed interest in joining.
Sagho said with the introduction of the schoolboys’ competition, the MRL Under-19 division had been cancelled, while the town competition concentrated on A and B divisions.
The Madang schoolboys’ competition is made up of U15, U17 and U19 divisions.
Sagho said the schoolboys demonstrated an exceptional enthusiasm and commitment, by turning up on time over the weekends, sports teachers had not been attending to take charge of their students.
Last weekend was no exception and a disappointed Sagho used the public address system to call on sports teachers to make themselves available for the games.
A Lack of uniforms for all the schools taking part is another setback but that has not dampened the spirit of the youngsters.