Women to use Aust comp for Cup prep

By ROBINSON LEKA
Eight to 12 women from around the country will be picked to compete in Queensland’s top women’s rugby league competition, the BHP Premiership, next year, according to an official.
Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League chairman Sandis Tsaka said the contingent would form the core of the national women’s team for next year’s World Cup in England.
He told The National yesterday that the governing body’s high performance team, led by national coaching director Michael Marum, was touring the country to identify players.
Tsaka said the team had already visited the New Guinea Islands with Southern (today) next in line followed by Mamose (Friday) and Highlands (Sunday).
He said discussions with Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and domestic partners were already in progress for the contingent to join clubs in the statewide competition next year. “Our domestic and international partners are working on sending eight to 12 women to play in the BHP Premiership next year,” he said.
“We’ll be working towards organising how they will stay in Australia, attachments with clubs and welfare programmes.
“We hope to finalise that by next month and the contingent will depart with the SP Hunters.
“We’ve already kicked off the process to identify players.
“We hope to identify 20-30 women and they’re expected to attend a high performance pre-season camp by Jan 9.
“We’ll then trim the group to between eight and 12 players, depending on how many club placements we are able to secure.”
Tsaka said the programme would boost the Orchids’ World Cup preparations. “Our women are ranked fourth in the world,” he said.
“They’re not going there to just make the numbers.
“They’re going to compete and we’re confident that they will do well.
“Our initial plan was to hold the national championships and identify our core group for the train-on squad.
“But the Coronavirus has affected our senior competitions and national programmes in the last two years.
“We had to come up with another plan as we were concerned about our women’s preparations for the World Cup.
“Hence, the placement programme which should stand our Orchids in good stead for the showpiece event.”