Oil Search lauds Orchids, Kumuls for historic wins

Posted on The National

OIL Search congratulated the Papua New Guinea Orchids and Kumuls for their respective historic wins against the England and Great Britain Lions over the weekend.
“We are proud to have been the sponsor of the Orchids since the team began, and proudly continue our support for the national women’s team,” said Oil Search PNG country chairman Gerea Aopi.
“At Oil Search, we are committed to empowering women throughout PNG. We are honoured to support the team and are delighted about their victory.”
He also thanked the coaching staff, PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) and other sponsors for supporting the Orchids leading up to the win.
Oil Search have been the inaugural sponsor of rugby league since the launch of the national women’s team in August 2017, just months before the Women’s Rugby League World cup in Sydney, Australia.
During the 2017 launch, managing director Peter Botten pointed out Oil Search’s strong advocacy for ending violence against women in PNG.
Oil Search and the Oil Search Foundation strive to use rugby league as a catalyst to drive positive change for women across the country.
“PNG is a proud rugby league-playing nation. As a proud PNG company, we are delighted to be a part of promoting PNG and the amazing talent it produces,” Botten said.
Aopi said: “Our faith and commitment to the Orchids is there and we are proud of their performance, and for scoring their first ever win in just over two years — a great victory.”
Whilst the women’s game has been played in various capacities since the early 1970s, it was never properly organised nor recognised as a formal competition until February 2014 when the PNGRFL board formally ratified it to recognise, incorporate and sanction the women’s rugby league programme into the national rugby league structure.
Oil Search has a three-year sponsorship with the PNGRFL for the Orchids.
History — The Oil Search PNG Orchids

• Oil Search PNG Orchids launched in August 2017;
• played first test match against Australia in September 2017 in Port Moresby. Lost 42-14;
• won their warm-up match ahead of RLWC2017 30-6 against Far North Queensland All Stars in Innisfail, near Cairns;
• played in RLWC2017 in Sydney in November 2017. Lost to England (36-8), Canada (22-8) and New Zealand (38-0);
  2018
• last year, didn’t play any test matches but played an international against the Australian Prime Minister’s 13 and a trial match against Brisbane Broncos. Lost both
• this year, played in the mid-season Pacific Test against Fiji Bulikula for the first time. Lost 28-0 against a Fiji team comprising mostly Australia and New Zealand-based players;
• won silver at the inaugural women’s rugby league 9s tournament at the Pacific Games in Samoa in July 2019 (Fiji won gold; Cook Islands won bronze). A big confidence boost for many of the current players;
• lost to Brisbane Broncos in a trial match in Port Moresby in August 2019;
• played in the inaugural Rugby League World Cup 9s in Sydney in October 2019. Lost tough pool matches against England, New Zealand and Australia and,
• Played first test against England in Goroka last week. Lost 24-10. Saturday’s match was the second test in that series.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/oil-search-lauds-orchids-kumuls-for-historic-wins/

Orchids skipper one of Golden Boot award finalists

By JACK AMI - The National

ORCHIDS captain Elsie Albert was one of the three finalists for the International Rugby League women’s Golden Boot Award, which was won by St George Illawarra Dragons’ Jessica Sergis.
Albert played at the 2017 World Cup in Sydney. She also played the Jillaroos in Port Moresby and two tests against England in PNG.
She replaced second-rower Carol Humeu as the captain of the team for the two-test series. They lost the first test 10-24 in Goroka before bouncing back a week later with a 20-16 win in Port Moresby.
PNG Rugby Football League chairman Sandis Tsaka said he was surprised when he had learned of Albert’s shortlisting for the award.
“This is very interesting news. Since Albert’s appointment as skipper, she has lifted her game to be an enforcer for the Orchids,” he said.
Tsaka said this indicated that the national teams made strides under the sport’s world governing body.
“This paves the pathway for our women to reach the standard set by the Kumuls,” Tsaka said.
“We’re developing the women’s code which is important for the country in terms of gender equality. This is just the start of good things to come and we will be right up there among the top teams in the future.”
Coach Bagelo Solien also commended Albert.
“Our players ever get recognised for such an award. It shows that our development pathways are going from strength to strength,” he said.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/orchids-skipper-one-of-golden-boot-award-finalists/

PNG improves rankings

Posted by The National 

PAPUA New Guinea are the big movers in the men’s and women’s rugby league world rankings.

The Kumuls have been recognised for their progress in the past 12 months, which culminated in the weekend’s 28-10 defeat of Great Britain, which vaulted them from 10th to sixth place.
The Orchids, who won their Test against England in Port Moresby last Saturday, climbed from sixth position to fourth.
Kumuls coach Michael Marum sees the rise up the rankings as a natural part of their journey, saying: “PNG climbing from 10th to sixth spot is really good for us. We can only go higher with more international fixtures.”
Orchids coach Bagelo Solien said: “Going up two spots from sixth to fourth is pleasing after two test matches and we can only get better from here. It is good for the women’s game nationally and internationally.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand have usurped Australia as the top nation in the International Rugby League world rankings after the conclusion of the 2019 season.
The Kiwis have built on their 2018 wins over Australia and England and their recent 2-0 series defeat of Great Britain and victory in the mid-season Oceania Cup Test against Tonga to take the top position from the Kangaroos despite losing to them in Wollongong last month.
Since winning the 2017 World Cup final, Australia have only played four Tests — winning two and losing two.
Tonga remain in fourth spot but their historic triumph against the second-placed Kangaroos earlier this month has closed the gap on England, who now sit in third place in the world ranking.
IRL chief executive officer Nigel Wood congratulated the countries on the rise.
“Firstly, I would like to congratulate New Zealand on achieving their number one position. It is fully deserved based upon their recent excellent performances with four wins from their last five international games,” he said.
“Tonga has possibly been the story of the recent internationals and they deserve all the plaudits that they have received.
“They have certainly cemented their place as a genuine top four-nation and, along with other Pacific nations, throws the competition wide open for Rugby League World Cup 2021.” – NRL

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/png-improves-rankings/

Court to decide Hela regional recount

Posted by Post Courier

People of will know whether an initial order for a recount of ballot papers for the regional seat by the National Court will proceed to counting or a current Supreme Court review on that decision will go before a full bench of the high court. That was the indication by a one-person bench of the Supreme Court Justice Teresa Berrigan on Tuesday. 
This followed the hearing of two applications, one by the petitioner Francis Potape to dismiss the review for want of prosecution and another by the respondent and incumbent Governor Philip Undialu to vary or set aside the orders of another Supreme Court that ordered for the review book to be ready by last month, that is October 28. 
Lawyers for the parties, Paul Othas for Francis Potape, Gileng Goiye for Governor Philip Undialu and Alice Kimbu for the Electoral Commission spent almost half a day arguing their case before Justice Berrigan. 
Mr Othas submitted that the applicants had failed to comply with a Supreme Court order made on October 14 for the review book to be ready by October 28. 
“It is not only non-compliance of the rules but of a court order, they have no evidence to show compliance, filing and service as per the order nor have they set aside, varied or discharged the orders of the 14th…. The review must be dismissed for want of prosecution.” 
Goiye and Kimbu in rebuttal argued that there was no deliberate delay on their part and that the orders by the Supreme Court on October 14 were taken out on an exparte basis. They also highlighted to the court that there was another Supreme Court review involving the same parties that is awaiting a decision for amalgamation and a transcript that must be included in the review book. 
And in their application to vary and set aside the October 14 orders, Goiye submitted that the court had powers to do that and also make an additional order for the court reporting section to provide the transcript of the leave application before the Chief Justice.

Go to this link for more: https://postcourier.com.pg/court-to-decide-hela-regional-recount/