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
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo says the Papua New Guinea franchise will make its debut in the competition in 2028, despite recent leadership upheavals and speculation about delays.
NBC PNG reported while the PNG franchise has lost managing director Wapu Sonk and interim chief executive Andrew Hill, Abdo is confident thinngs will work out to plan.
Abdo said a new chief executive will be named soon, and brushed aside rumours of setbacks, insisting that PNG's debut date is set.
Boxing
Fiji's lone female boxer at the World Championships in England, Jasmine Daunakamakama, has been barred from competing in the competition, after failing to meet a deadline for a genetic sex test.
The Fiji Amateur Boxing Association said that was because test results from a laboratory in Leeds, recommended by World Boxing, were not received on time.
Despite assurances that results would be delivered within 48 hours, that did not happen and Daunakamakama was removed from the competitition.
Other boxers from France, Nigeria, the Phillipines and the Dominic Republic also missed out because of the same issue.
League
The Papua New Guinea Hunters campaign in the 2025 Hostplus Cup has ended, following their 32-12 elimination final loss to the Redcliffe Dolphins at the weekend.
The National reported the Dolphins proved too strong and composed, taking a 22-4 lead at halftime.
The Hunters scored three tries in the game but missed all conversion attempts.
The Dolphins will now face the Blackhawks on Saturday in one semi-final while the Seagualls will take on Jets in the second semi on Sunday.
Cricket
Four of the five Pacific Island teams at the East Asia Pacific T20 cricket qualifier had wins on the opening day.
Eight countries are competing for one spot at a qualifier for next year's Women's T20 World Cup.
Fiji is hosting the East-Asia Pacific Qualifier at Albert Park, with matches starting on Tuesday.
Fiji claimed a nine-wicket win over the Cook Islands in the opening game.
Then it was the PNG Lewas who started their campaign with a 46-run victory over Japan.
Vanuatu defeated Indonesia by 10 runs, while Samoa claimed a nine-wicket win over the Phillipines.
Matches continue on Wednesday.
The final on 15 September will decide which team advances to the global qualifier, to be held in Nepal in January 2026.
