The board announcement was made in Port Moresby on Tuesday by the ARLC chairman Peter V'landys AM and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, alongside PNG Prime Minister James Marape and Australian Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister, PNG
League
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys believes Papua New Guinea's incoming NRL franchise has the potential to dominate like the Penrith Panthers.
V'landys, who has been in Port Moresby to launch the new franchise's board, praised the rise of rugby league talent in PNG.
NBC reported V'landys was impressed with the way the Junior Kumuls performed against the Australian Schoolboys in 2024, adding most of the first-grade players in the NRL system came through the schoolboy system.
V'landys said the franchise is expected to lure top-tier NRL talents with an attractive tax-exempt package, aimed at building a competitive roster from day one.
Rugby
Head coach Toutai Kefu has announced the first five players for the First Nations and Pasifika team to meet the British and Irish Lions in Melbourne on 22 July.
Former Wallaby Kurtley Beale headlines the names, having pulled out of the Western Force team to meet the Lions because of a hamstring injury.
Coach Kefu, who played against the Lions in 2001, also named Fijian heritage and Reds player Seru Uru, along with Samoa heritage player Rob Leota in the squad.
Waratahs player Charlie Gamble, who has Tongan origins, and the Brumbies' Andy Muirhead, who is of Aboriginal origin, make up the first five names.
On Saturday, the Lions beat the Western Force 54-7.
Sevens
The Chennai Bulls sevens team have won the first-ever Rugby Premier League franchise tournament in India, beating the Delhi Redz 41-0 in Monday morning's final.
The league said Fijians Joseva Talacolo, Filipe Sauturaga and Samoan sevens rep Vaafauese Maliko all scored tries in the final, with the side recording seven unanswered tries.
The Bulls defeated Begaluru Bravehearts 31-12 in the first semi-final while Delhi Redz beat Hyrderabad Heroes 14-7 in the second semi.
Heroes claimed third spot after they defeated the Bravehearts 17-12 in the play-off.
Rugby
The Fijian Drua has lost utility backline and former Waratahs player, Vuate Karawalevu.
Castres of France have announced signing the player for the 2025/2026 season.
Karawalevu joined the Drua last season, stamping his mark as a key player for the side in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, and also played for the Flying Fijians.
He was not named in the Flying Fijians squad currently preparing for matches against the Wallabies and Scotland next month.
Rugby
The Flying Fijian squad preparing for their one-odd Test match against the Wallabies next weekend have begun their preparation in Sydney.
FBC reported head coach Mick Byrne said the team flew across from Nadi on Friday morning.
He said Europe-based players had flown into Fiji last week.
One change has been to the 33-member squad, with France-based prop Like Tagi withdrawing because of injury, with Fijian Drua prop Samu Tawake replacing him.
