Triple X claim first Ipatas Cup pass

THE Coca-Cola Ipatas Cup Simbu Challenge saw the first team awarded a gold pass to progress to the next stage of the off-season rugby league tournament.
Emergency Line Pacific XXX beat SSY Brothers 11-0 to claim the gold pass, which was played last weekend at Baning, Jiwaka.
The match between Jaka Miners and Gumine Wisomo was called off due to technical issues.
Ipatas Cup chief executive Timothy Lepa is expecting a report on the matter midweek from his match officials and coordinator Michael Goima to make a decision on the outcome of the match.
The local judiciary met and deliberated on the matter but could not come up to a decision which is now up to the judiciary headed by Jiwaka provincial police commander Supt Joseph Tondop, who will deliberate decide who gets the gold pass.
In the Central and NCD legs of the challenge all four teams will play on Saturday for the two gold passes.
This weekend will see the finals of the NCD and Central challenge in Port Moresby, while the Western Highlands challenge will be played in Baning.
The remaining challenges before the knock out stages are: NCD and Central in Port Moresby on Feb 10; Western Highlands in Baning on Feb 10; East Sepik in Maprik on Feb 17; Southern Highlands in Minj on Feb 17; Morobe in Madang on  Feb 24.  On Friday, Lepa will be in Minj to witness the gold pass playoffs between the Keram Raiders and Kunjip Cowboys in the Western Highlands challenge.
He then flies to Port Moresby on Saturday to present gold passes to the winners of the NCD and Central finals.
In the Maprik challenge five teams have been confirmed but the competition needs one more to play the format. Lepa said he expected the sixth team to be confirmed this week with interest coming from East and West Sepik.