World Cup plans changed

Sports

GREETINGS to our rugby league family and welcome to our 20th edition of “Fulltime Reserve” column for this year, in our favourite rugby league newspaper, The National.
Today marks exactly 100 days to the kick-off of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England and this week also saw the confirmation by the Host Organising Committee of the Rugby League World Cup in England that the marque rugby league event will go ahead this year as planned inspite of the pandemic.
In last week’s column, we advised that the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) was expecting some major announcements on the tournament and we have been advised this week that there are some major changes to the original plans for the teams’ travel to the World Cup due to the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A major change to our original plans is that all seven Southern Hemisphere men’s teams, including PNG LNG Kumuls, will now be travelling to the World Cup by special charter out of Sydney, Australia to the United Kingdom on Oct 14/15 before kick-off of the World Cup on Oct 25.
The Kumuls’ first match is against Tonga at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens on Tuesday, Oct 27.
Similarly, all Southern Hemisphere women’s and wheelchair teams are now scheduled to travel out of Sydney, Australia, by special charter on Nov 1 with the kick-off for the Women’s World Cup scheduled for Nov 13.
The Oil Search PNG Orchids’ first match is against Canada at the Emerald Headingly Stadium in Leeds on Saturday, Nov 13.
These major changes in travel and logistics have meant that all previous plans for the Kumuls and Orchids with regard to pre-tournament camps and trial matches in England will now have to be cancelled and changed to meet the new timelines.
As such, PNGRFL and the managements of the Kumuls and Orchids will now have to go back to the drawing board to re-plan the training camps and trial matches for the teams leading up to the World Cup.
We have this week reached out to all our international and domestic partners to advise of these changes and our teams are working closely with all our partners to finalise a plan for revised programme to ensure our teams are prepared to attend the World Cup and perform well.
The ongoing Covid-19 challenges in PNG and Australia are being considered in these plans and PNGRFL hopes to finalise a revised plan for the World Cup within the next two weeks.
PNGRFL hopes to advise all our stakeholders and supporters of these plans, including the announcement of the extended training squads for both teams within the next two weeks.
A special PNGRFL board meeting has been scheduled for later next week to review and finalise these revised plans.
Until next week, may the grace, love and care of our Good Lord be with you.

Cheers,
Sandis