Tarangau book final

By MELTON PAIS
TARANGAU Two has booked a grand final spot after upsetting Hohola Flies Two 6-4 in the Mineral Resources Development Company Rugby League Nines cup division at the National Football Stadium yesterday.
Tarangau, the defending champions of the MRDC Super Nines cup, proved themselves to the Flies why they are the champions.
Led by Port Moresby Vipers prospect Solomon Pokari, they will take the Hohola Flies team one in the grand final match for the cup division today.
HoholaOne advanced to the cup grand final earlier after defeating Royals 16-12.
Tarangau will try harder to defend the cup as they go up against Hohola One who were the nines champions in 2014.
The plate grand final will see West One and Royals Two while in the bowl final Tarangau One will take on Kone Storms One.
The women’s cup grand final will see Richard Wagambie’s Paga Panthers and Black Swan Royals battle it out.
PRL chairman Dr James Naipao commended his management for successfully running the tournament. He also acknowledged St John Ambulance who were on the ground since last Thursday when the tournament started.
Naipao also praised the players, team managements and supporters who behaved themselves and were disciple during the week-long nines tournament.
The cash prizes for the tournament winners are — Cup winners K5000, runners up K3500; plate winners K3000, runners up KK2000; bowl winners K1500 and runners up K1000.
The women’s cup winners will receive K3000, while the runner up will get K2000.
The plate winners will get K1500 and runners up K1000.
Naipao said the MRDC nines was also a platform to do awareness on illegal land grabbing based on the MRDC Nines theme Lukautim Mama Graun. Meanwhile, Naipao said he was looking forward to extend the nines tournament next year to get more teams from the Motu-Koitabu area as well as Gulf and Central.
“Because these are areas greatly affected by illegal land grabbing, we will be planning to have more teams from these areas in next year’s tournament,” Naipao said.