The Rugby League World Cup Trophy arrived in Port Moresby today.
A function was held last night at the National Football Stadium to officially welcome the Paul Barrière trophy.
The Rugby League World Cup is the sports premier international competition which was first held in 1954. This year will be the 15th staging of the tournament.
Australia was successful in their bid to host the 2017 World Cup with Co-hosts New Zealand. Once that was sorted, they then decided to invite a Pacific country or Pacific region to showcase to the world the diversity of the Pacific.
28 Matches will be played across 13 cities. Port Moresby will host Wales, Ireland and the United States of America.
As an official platinum partner of the Rugby League World Cup, Oil Search have partnered with the organising committee to be the official naming rights partner of the 2017 RLWC Trophy tour.
This will be the first time the RLWC World Cup will be in Papua New Guinea.
Ministerfor Sports, Justin Tkatchenko, thanked Oil Search, the government and the Rugby League World Cup Organising Committee for giving Papua New Guinea the opportunity to host the Kumuls 3 pool matches at the National Football Stadium.
PNGRFL Chairman, Sandis Tsaka, says the Kumuls will be preparing with their first task next weekend when they face the Cook Islands in the Pacific Test. He is confident they will do the country proud with the depth of players available in the NRL, and other high Rugby League Competitions.
Oil Search Trophy Tour Ambassador, Marcus Bai, says it is an honour to be part of the Rugby League World Cup. And for Bai seeing three pool matches played in the country is a dream come true.
Oil Search is proud to partner with the Rugby League World Cup 2017 in bringing the iconic Paul Barrière Trophy to Papua New Guinea. The trophy is in Port Moresby for a brief visit ahead of the main nationwide visit in September and October.
Over the next few days, there will be a number of public events around Port Moresby where rugby league fans will be able to see the trophy.
https://youtu.be/sIPlTyymlFA
