Second Morobe team to bid for Digicel Cup spot

 By PISAI GUMAR

MOROBE is preparing to bid for a second rugby league team in the Digicel Cup competition next year alongside the existing Lae Snax Tigers.

The plan is to scout rugby league talent both from the urban settlements and from districts to make up the second Morobe team.

To start preparations, a nines competition will be staged. Major sponsor Wopa Construction Company has put up a K10,000 prize money to kick off the Lae city nines rugby league super challenge in 2015.

Minor sponsors Coca Cola Amatil, PNG Metal Fabricators, Yumi FM and Nau FM are also prepared to support the competition.

Media and events company, Global will coordinate the competition expected to begin in the second week of next month among a total 16 teams in 23 Lae urban council wards.

The first eight teams were NBC Miners, Global Media Rats, Kamkumung Barbarians, Yumi FM Raiders, Taraka Redbacks, Three Mile Brothers, Blue Healers and Morobe Chiefs.

Games executive officer Timothy Lepa urged interested teams to register immediately with games manager Tony McHaretz at Chayter House, Eriku.

Lepa said that during the competition players would be selected to form two final teams who would take on teams from the districts.

From that a final selection of players to enter the Digicel Cup competition would be made.  “The games will be played every Saturday utilising existing rugby fields in the 23 ward areas to keep the youths occupied whilst wee develop and promote the code in settlement areas,” Lepa said.

Fields at Kamkumung, West/ East Taraka, Bumbu, 10-Mile, Papuan Compound, Bundi Camp, Seventh Street and Scouts Hall will be used.