Schuster hails Oceania Rugby Cup a success

TOURNAMENT director Wayne Schuster has hailed the recent Oceania Rugby Cup a success.
Schuster spoke of the level of competition among tier-three nations and what lay ahead after a week of international rugby in Port Moresby.
“We’ve seen a country (Nauru) play their first 15s tournament so that’s gratifying,” he said.
“We’ve seen three other nations play international rugby after a long absence and how they have embraced the level which they’ve applied themselves.
“We’ve had nothing but support from the government and those who we’ve spoken to.
“They’re optimistic that the tournament will continue to take place in Papua New Guinea.”
Schuster was impressed with how teams had performed in the tournament and said that Oceania Rugby was willing to make it an annual event to create pathways for tier-three countries in the Pacific.
“The standard of play has being pleasant and it just gives us that extra motivation to get those performance pathways in place by providing an international tournament every year.” Meanwhile, Sports Vice-Minister Wesley Raminai has praised PNG Rugby and the tournament organisers on successful Cup.
“We’re glad we got the visiting nations here and I’m sure they’ve all had a good time for the last two weeks of the tournament,” he said.
“With rugby union (in PNG), we need to fix our house first — that is number one thing.
“Over the years, we did not really come on board with rugby union because of the impasse but now through the National Gaming and Control Board, we’ve sponsored this tournament.”