Women’s match a curtain-raiser to Q-Cup game at National Football Stadium

A WOMEN’S representative match between Port Moresby Rugby League and Moresby South sides will be the curtain-raiser to the Hunters and Tweed Heads Q-Cup clash on June 18 at the National Football Stadium.
Moresby South Rugby League acting president Bagelo Solien proposed the match to PNGRFL chief executive Reatau Rau and Southern Confederate director Gwaibo Mairi as a way to help prepare the city’s best players for selection into the Southern Zone side for the national championships in August.
PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka told The National from Wabag that he supported the initiative taken by Mairi and Solien as step in the right direction to expose and develop women’s rugby league.
Rau praised Solien for taking the initiative to introduce this concept between the sister leagues.
“We are looking forward to it as this sort of events will prepare our women’s in lead up to the World Cup in Sydney,” Rau said.
“This is the 2017 World Cup year and we have to do everything to support our women to prepare for the international arena for the first time.”
Solien said the match would be a useful gauge for the standard of football in the women’s competitions as well as helping selectors finalise their sides for the Southern Zone trials.
He, however, stressed that the June 18 teams were not the final sides for their particular leagues as the process of picking the Southern Confederate side was ongoing.
Solien said the concept was a natural development and a great opportunity for women’s league to have more exposure.
“This will be the first time for Moresby South women’s team to take on the Port Moresby Rugby League side in front of a big crowd so we’re all excited.”
Moresby South have announced their squad for the match while the PRL has yet to name their team.