A large crowd gathered at Sir John Guise Stadium on Saturday (14 March 2026) to witness a special day of exhibition rugby league, as visiting teams from Western Province tested their skills against two Port Moresby franchises.
The matches brought the Western Fly Warriors to the capital for the first time, where they faced strong opposition from the Port Moresby Vipers and the Central Dabaris in a series of friendly games aimed at promoting talent development and youth empowerment.
Organized by Western Province Rugby League and supported by the Western Provincial Government, the initiative was designed to expose young players from remote communities to a higher level of competition.
Most of the Western players were selected from the Fly River Rugby Tournament held in Daru earlier this year. The teams, Western Fly Reds and Western Fly Yellow, were largely made up of young and inexperienced players eager to prove their abilities on a bigger stage.
Although both Western sides fell short on the scoreboard, their determination, speed and natural athleticism impressed spectators and officials alike.
Western Province Governor Taboi Awi Yoto praised the effort shown by the players and emphasized the importance of giving rural athletes opportunities to compete outside their province.
He noted that Western Province has not produced a national representative since the days of Ricky Sibiya more than two decades ago, and said initiatives like this could help identify new talent for professional pathways.
Governor Yoto also hinted that the province may consider bidding for its own franchise in the future to further strengthen rugby league development in the region.
The exhibition games also served as preparation for the upcoming Digicel ExxonMobil Cup season.
In the opening match, the Central Dabaris defeated Western Fly Reds 30-16. The second game between the Vipers and Dabaris ended in a 14-14 draw. In the final match, the Port Moresby Vipers proved too strong, defeating Western Fly Yellow 32–10.
Despite the results, the Western teams gained valuable experience, with organisers hopeful the exhibition series will become an annual event to support rugby league growth across the province.
