PNG Rugby League

PNG Orchids internationals Elsie Albert, Amelia Kuk, Shae De La Cruz and Therese Aiton all lined up for the South Logan Magpies last weekend in the opening round of the Holcim Cup.

The Magpies defeated a West Brisbane Panthers side in their first competitive match in almost five months and Kuk said it was great to be back playing.

The official opening round will feature a double header at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, with another action packed day booked for Sunday. Games will also be played in Lae.

PNG NRL Competition Manager, Stanley Hondina, confirmed the cost to get the competition up and running again had doubled, but he was excited to see rugby league being played in the country again.

A finalist for the 2019 International Rugby League Women's Golden Boot Award, the 24-year-old from Pangia was part of the first Pacific Island women's team to receive equal pay at the Rugby League World Cup Nines in October and led her country to their first test match win against England a month later.

The Australian was an assistant coach with the Sunshine Coast Falcons last season when they won the Intrust Super Cup minor premiership and were beaten by eventual champions Burleigh in the preliminary final.

He also spent two years as an assistant coach with the Melbourne Storm Under 20s and is the incumbent head coach of the Queensland Under 16s representative team.

Twelve teams are to contest the men's tournament and four will compete in the women's competition.

PNG, Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands and a Tongan invitational XIII are the Pacific sides joining the traditional league powerhouses of Australia, New Zealand and England.

Leeds Rhinos second rower Rhyse Martin said it was an honour to be chosen to lead the Kumuls at the World Cup.

"It was a great feeling when coach told me but the feeling I got...when the boys were really excited for me gave me chills and I am really excited to play for the Kumuls," Martin said.