Haro rises from Kaugere to Hunters

By The National Newspaper Sports Reporters

IT was in the mid-2000s when a young boy from the once known notorious Kaugere suburb spent most of his weekends on the sidelines of Kaugere Oval.

Shane Haro would carry his uncles’ boots on one hand and a bucket of sand on the other hand and watch his uncles play.

Whatever the weather, that boy was driven by rugby league and all his family and friends knew it.

Recalling those days, Haro, now 22, loved it, he was passionate about the sport and would look forward to every weekend, rugby league was a dream growing up, no doubt about that.

Today, the Gulf man is among the PNG Hunters 32-man train-on squad gearing up for the 2019 Queensland Cup season.

Challenges in Tabubil

By Rosalyn Albaniel, Post Courier

RUGBY Union is a code that is developing its roots in the mining township of Tabubil, Western Province.

And it is slowly making its mark, which for years has been dominated by rugby league.

It continues to be a big ask for the Tabubil Rugby Football Union Association (TRFU) president Kelly Kesawe and his executives which include Junior John Tomba (vice president), Heather Erwin (treasurer) and Israel Lingham (secretary)…but a task which they have taken head on.

Kesawe told visiting reporters over the weekend that the union tournaments, since the codes inception there, have been played during the league off-season and utilising interested players keen in maintaining their fitness levels.

Tabubil Cats do well in Goroka 7s

By David Kare, Sunday Chronicle

TABUBIL Rugby Football Union sent a very young rugby 7s team under the Tabubil 789 CATS to Goroka to attend the 2016 PNG SP Export Rugby 7s leg in Goroka “Tulait 7s” tournament.

The team comprised of 13 players and three officials.

According to TRFU president Kelly Kesawe the team lacked experience but lead by PNG Rugby 7s experience player Toby Yakumani Jr and captained by long time player Paul Marita the Cats were able to put a good performance.

Kesawe thanked Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) deputy CEO Musje Werror for the approval to use the company charter plane, OTML donation committee for 50% of the travel, Star Mountain Clothing Factory, TE Hardware, Cloundlands Hotel and families and friends for their great assistant.

Bulls take out Pumas

By Grace Ryan, Nyngan Observer

A 29 to 18 defeat over Warren on Friday night showed the Bulls can take home a win night and day.

A strong Bulls team defeated the Pumas in style in Warren demonstrating some fantastic football at the same time.

It took the boys some warming up on the freezing cold Friday evening, but after a few plays and a giving away a couple of penalities, they seemed to find their stride.

Outside centre and team co-captain Dom Kennedy found the try line first for the Bulls and after a successful conversion by Matt Sheather morale for the home team instantly lifted.

Bulls continue winning streak

By The Nyngan Observer

The Bogan Bulls have continued their winning form with a third consecutive victory this time over the Brewarrina Brumbies at Larkin Oval last Saturday. 

In the days leading up to the game coach Rob Kennedy expressed concerns about being able to field a team due to the number of players on tractors for sowing season, so there were a lot of empty seats on the bench as the previously undefeated Brumbies took the field.

Both teams came to play, with a good half hour of back and forth arm wrestling before mountainous forward Ryan Sambath crossed the line for the first try of the game putting the Nyngan team ahead.

JCU prove party poopers at Machans Beach

By Sam Davis, The Northern Beaches News

JCU Mariners beat Barron Trinity Bulls in the first FNQ Rugby premier grade game at the Bulls’ new headquarters at Machans Beach on Saturday.

In front of a decent crowd at the ‘Bull Ring’ and without massive offseason recruit Kele Degei due to a knee injury, the Bulls put in a highly committed and gutsy performance before finally being overpowered 26-10.

The match was evenly poised in the 55th minute when Bulls’ reserve Dwayne Irvine crossed to reduce the Mariners advantage to 14-10.

But quick replies from Mariners fullback Rob Rodokal and livewire winger Joel Skyes sealed a well-earned 16 point win for the visitors.

Pukpuks finish third a Oceania Junior titles

By Quintina Naime, Loop PNG

The PNG U20 Pukpuks have finished third at the Oceania Junior Rugby Trophy Championships in Suva, Fiji.

They defeated Vanuatu today by a huge margin, scoring 13 tries in a final scoreline of 80-7.

Pukpuks’ first try was scored by Zion Reto eight minutes into the game. Another try came eight minutes later through Lindsey Yabone which took PNG up to 10-0 followed by the third try, by winger William Tirang 19 minutes into the game.

U20s eye Fiji tourney

By Francis Rodney Pulu, The National 




TWENTY-six players will be making their debut in the Pukpuks Under-20 rugby squad that leave tomorrow for the Oceania Youth Trophy in Fiji from November 27 to December 5.




Only four countries are taking part in the inaugural event and a 30-man Pukpuks train-on squad are currently in training in Port Moresby before the team will be trimmed down to the final 26 after the players are put through their medical checks today.

Assistant coach Sydney Wesley said the players would use the championship to qualify for the World Junior Trophy in Portugal next year and the only two teams that the team had to overcome in order to qualify were the tier-two nations, Fiji and Tonga.

“It will be tough playing against Fiji and Tonga, who dropped from the first-tier based on their performance at the previous World Junior Championships,” Wesley said.