In this bulletin:
1. MSG GAMES — MSG Games Charter clears way for inaugural 2029 Games
2. FOOTBALL — Bula Boys still out for first MSG win
3. RUGBY LEAGUE — No room for instability at FNRL: Singh
4. FOOTBALL — Oceania officials appointed for FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026
5. RUGBY LEAGUE — Prime Minister’s 13 returns on 03 October
6. RUGBY LEAGUE — Six new academy faces in PNG
7. TENNIS — Two join Pacific leaders in tennis
8. RUGBY — One year on: Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 legacy drives record growth as WXV Global Series builds momentum
9. RUGBY LEAGUE — Ex-Penrith groundsman aims to mow down old club
10. RUGBY LEAGUE — ‘All systems go’: Panthers back Cleary for Newcastle showdown
11. RUGBY — Australian Wheelaroos named for 2026 Rugby League World Cup
PAC – MSG GAMES: PACNEWS PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
MSG Games Charter clears way for inaugural 2029 Games
SUVA, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has endorsed the MSG Games Charter, clearing the way for the inaugural MSG Games to be held in 2029 and establishing a four-year cycle thereafter.
The Charter was endorsed at the 6th MSG Sports Ministers Meeting in Suva on 16 September following the completion of work by a Technical Working Group of MSG senior sports officials.
The draft Charter has been under development for 15 years, with officials working to establish a framework for expanded sporting cooperation across Melanesia.
Opening the meeting, Fiji’s Minister for Youth and Sports and Chair of the MSG Sports Ministers Meeting, Jese Saukuru, called on members to broaden the region’s sporting programme beyond football.
“Let us work together to promote inclusivity, diversity and excellence in sports across our region,” Saukuru said.
He said expanding the range of sporting disciplines would strengthen opportunities for youth and sports development across Melanesia.
MSG Director General Dr Anna Naupa thanked the Technical Working Group for its work in finalising and scrutinising the Charter.
Naupa said the Charter represented an important step in using sport to strengthen regional cooperation and development.
“Sport has long been recognised as a powerful vehicle for promoting unity, healthy lifestyles, youth engagement, social inclusion, and economic development,” Naupa said.
“Beyond competition, sport brings our communities together, fosters mutual understanding, and reinforces the shared values that define the Melanesian family.”
The endorsement on 16 September coincided with Papua New Guinea’s 51st Independence Anniversary.
Papua New Guinea made a significant contribution to the development of the Charter through its participation in the Technical Working Group, represented by PNG Sports Foundation Chief Executive Officer Micah James.
The MSG Games Charter covers 18 sporting disciplines already played across Melanesia, providing a broader platform for regional sporting cooperation and competition.
The inaugural MSG Games in 2029 will mark a new phase in MSG sports development, with subsequent Games to be held every four years…..PACNEWS
FIJI – FOOTBALL: FBC SPORTS PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
Bula Boys still out for first MSG win
SUVA, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FBC SPORTS)—The Fiji Bula Boys will spend the next few days working on their weaknesses as they prepare for their next match in the MSG Cup at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva on Sunday.
Fiji opened the tournament with a 3-3 draw against the Solomon Islands before suffering a 1-0 loss to Vanuatu.
The Bula Boys will now be looking for their first win of the tournament as they aim to keep their hopes of winning the title alive.
The side had a training session at Albert Park in Suva this morning, and head coach Stephane Auvary says ball handling and communication were two areas they were focusing on.
While they are hoping to win their first ever MSG Cup title since 2000, Auvary says they are more focused on getting players to reach their potential.
“We just wanted the boys to refresh and reset after two tough games. So that’s what we’re doing today, just focusing on our mistakes and moving one step at a time. We are excited for our game against PNG, and we hope our fans come out in numbers to support the boys.”
Fiji will play Papua New Guinea at 7pm on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the FMF Inter-District Championship will start on the 6th of next month…PACNEWS
FIJI – RUGBY LEAGUE: FIJI SUN PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
No room for instability at FNRL: Singh
SUVA, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The Fiji National Rugby League (FNRL) board and staff are committed to taking the sport to greater heights.
This was told to SUNsports by FNRL executive chairman Rajesh Singh, who said they had no room to entertain people trying to bring instability to the organisation.
“The FNRL is not the place for people to come and make a living out of it,” he said.
“I’ve got the A-team working with me. They are committed and we’ll try to set the financial records straight as we’ve to be accountable to all our funders, clubs and everyone involved in the sport.
“Also, we want to see our match officials, medics and coaches get accredited.”
Singh highlighted that rugby league had become a career opportunity for most young people and local-based players.
He said players such as Sisa Waqa, Viliame Kikau, Semi Radradra, Tui Kamikamica and Marika Koroibete were local players who had made it big in the NRL (National Rugby League).
Singh said there were also local players contracted to and playing for clubs in the New South Wales and Queensland Cup competitions.
“We are fortunate to have someone like the Fiji Bati head coach Mick Potter with us, who is assisting us to create a pathway for our local players.”
Singh said the focus right now was on the Vodafone Cup finals set for Saturday at Churchill Park in Lautoka and next month’s Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) in Australia.
“This is an opportunity for local players to impress the selectors on Saturday as we’re selecting a Fiji Residents team to tour Australia, probably early next year. Negotiations are going on for the Residents to play three matches against clubs playing in the Queensland Cup competition.”
Singh said the Residents would be coached by Vula Dakutioga, with Vela Tawake as the assistant coach.
Singh said details concerning player selection and team training for the RLWC would be answered by Potter….PACNEWS
PAC – FOOTBALL: FIFA PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
Oceania officials appointed for FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026
ZURICH, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIFA)—The FIFA Referees Committee has announced the match officials who will take charge of fixtures at this year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026, which will be contested from 19 November to 13 December.
A total of 81 match officials, comprising 27 referees and 54 assistant referees from 36 FIFA Member Associations, have been selected to oversee matches during the competition.
Calvin Berg from New Zealand wil be refereeing at his first FIFA tournament. The Dunedin-based official has been on the FIFA panel for three years and has refereed OFC tournaments since 2019.
He will be joined by Jeremey Garae from Vanuatu and Malaetala Salanoa from Samoa, who will attend their second FIFA tournament.
The appointments include two all-female refereeing trios, comprising six officials in total, underlining FIFA’s continued commitment to providing leading female match officials with opportunities to perform at the highest level of international football.
The tournament will bring together 48 teams and feature 104 matches, with all games to be played in the Aspire Zone, and the final at Khalifa International Stadium – a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadium. It will be the second edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be staged annually in Qatar as part of the country’s five-year hosting cycle.
“Last year’s tournament presented a refereeing operation of significant scale and complexity, and the quality and consistency demonstrated by the match officials were extremely high. For this year’s edition, we have again brought together some of the most promising officials from every confederation. They have been selected not only for their performances, but also for their ability to work as part of an international team and meet the demands of a major FIFA tournament,” said FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee Pierluigi Collina.
“The 2025 edition of this tournament demonstrated the value of giving talented match officials the opportunity to develop in a demanding international environment. We saw them grow in confidence and experience throughout the competition, and several have since taken important steps in their careers. This year’s officials have been selected with the same long-term objective; to prepare the next generation to perform at the highest level of the game,” commented FIFA Director of Refereeing Massimo Busacca.
During the tournament, the match officials will be supported by a professional FIFA team of refereeing instructors, medical and physiotherapy expertise, fitness coaches and additional refereeing specialists in video technology and organisation.
Football Video Support (FVS) will again be used at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026™, following its implementation at the 2025 edition of the tournament.
Unlike the video assistant referee (VAR) system, FVS does not involve dedicated video match officials and therefore does not automatically check every potentially match-changing incident. Instead, each head coach is permitted a limited number of review requests during a match if they believe a clear and obvious error may have occurred in relation to a goal, penalty decision, direct-red-card incident or case of mistaken identity. Players may also recommend that their coach request a review….PACNEWS
PNG – RUGBY LEAGUE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
Prime Minister’s 13 returns on 03 October
PORT MORESBY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Papua New Guinea Kumuls and Orchids will return to the Santos National Football Stadium on Oct 3 to take on Australia in the annual Prime Minister’s XIII tournament.
The senior teams will headline a four-match representative programme that will also feature the Junior Kumuls and Junior Orchids. The Orchids will face the Australian Women’s Prime Minister’s XIII at 12.15pm before the Kumuls meet the Australian Men’s Prime Minister’s XIII at 2.05pm.
Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) chairman Sandis Tsaka said the event was an opportunity to strengthen the rugby league relationship between PNG and Australia.
“The Prime Minister’s XIII has become an important fixture for both Papua New Guinea and Australia, and we are pleased to welcome our Australian counterparts once again to Port Moresby,” Tsaka said.
This year’s edition would also give PNGRFL an opportunity to expose its senior teams to quality opposition.
PNGRFL chief executive officer Stanley Hondina said the PM’s XIII remained an important part of player pathways.
“The Prime Minister’s XIII gives our players the opportunity to step into a representative environment and test themselves against quality opposition,” Hondina said.
The senior matches will come after two junior fixtures, with the Junior Orchids playing Australian Schoolgirls at 9am and the Junior Kumuls meeting Australian Schoolboys at 10.30am.
The PNG-Australia men’s Prime Minister’s XIII fixture dates back to 2005, when the first match was played in Port Moresby.
The women’s fixture was added in 2017, followed by junior representative matches in 2023.
This year’s programme would bring together all four levels of PNG’s representative rugby league on one match day.
The teams, coaching staff and ticketing arrangements would be announced before 03 October…..PACNEWS
PNG – RUGBY LEAGUE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
Six new academy faces in PNG
PORT MORESBY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) Academy will expand to six more provinces, aiming to reach 18 by the end of 2028.
Programme manager Joey Grima announced the expansion following an 11-week nationwide tour to identify new academy areas, and they are Chimbu, East Sepik, Madang, Jiwaka, New Ireland and Southern Highlands.
Chimbu, East Sepik, Madang and Jiwaka will join the academy as Tier 1 programmes, while New Ireland and Southern Highlands will enter as Tier 2 academies.
Grima said the expansion showed how quickly the academy had grown since its first programme was launched in Port Moresby three years ago.
“The academy has grown so much. Our first programme was based here in Port Moresby, reaching out to six regions (provinces) in our second and third year, and inviting Enga and Gulf last year,” Grima said. “Through 11 weeks of travelling over your beautiful country, we’ve identified six new regions (provinces).”
The academy would use two different levels of development.
Grima explained that the main difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 academies would be the length of the training programme and the level of competition in which the players participate.
The academy plans to continue expanding after the latest six provinces are established.
Grima said another two areas or provinces would be added next year, followed by another two the year after. That would take the academy to its target of having all 18 provinces represented within the PNGRFL Academy family by the end of 2028.
The expansion is aimed at giving more young Papua New Guinean players access to structured coaching, training and competition without having to rely solely on opportunities in Port Moresby.
“We are now the largest one-club rugby league programme in the world,” he said….PACNEWS
PAC – TENNIS: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
Two join Pacific leaders in tennis
NADI, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Papua New Guineans Stella Rumbam and Anita Ireng were among a group of regional tennis leaders who attended a recent Pacific Women Leaders in Tennis initiative in Fiji.
The programme was held from Sept 15-17, and supported by the Australian government through PacificAus Sports in partnership with Tennis Australia.
Rumbam and Ireng were selected for their leadership and commitment to supporting the development of tennis in PNG.
Now in its fifth year, the Pacific Women Leaders in Tennis programme provides women sports administrators from across the Pacific with professional development, leadership training and mentoring opportunities through workshops and training modules.
It is designed to help participants take the next step in their careers, including progressing into leadership positions on sporting boards and committees, and within national and regional sporting organisations.
The programme will conclude in a graduation ceremony at next year’s Australian Open in January.
Rumbam expressed her excitement in joining the programme and the opportunity to learn as much as possible to contribute to the development of tennis in PNG.
Meanwhile, Ireng spoke about the motivation that this opportunity has provided her being a tennis supporter, helper and tennis mum for nine years with the Lae Tennis Club, it provided her great motivation to continue these efforts….PACNEWS
AUST – RUGBY LEAGUE: AAP PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
Ex-Penrith groundsman aims to mow down old club
SYDNEY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (AAP)—Francis Manuleleua used to mow the grass outside Penrith’s training centre and the barnstorming Newcastle back-rower is now intent on cutting the Panthers’ premiership hopes to shreds.
Manuleleua is the breakout star of the Knights’ run to Sunday’s preliminary final at Accor Stadium, where the 22-year-old will face off against the Panthers, the club that brought him to Australia from his native New Zealand.
The Auckland-born forward never played NRL for Penrith after spending several years in the club’s junior grades.
When Manuleleua moved to Sydney’s west, the Panthers gave him a job as a groundsman at their academy, meaning the no-nonsense second-rower had a first-hand look at Penrith from the comfort of a ride-on mower.
Shown a photo of the lawns outside the club’s offices, Manuleleua lets out a deep laugh.
“That’s the front of Penrith’s centre of excellence, I reckon I cut that spot up every single day I was there,” he told AAP.
“The boys would walk in while I was mowing that … that was a bit of motivation.
“You want to be training full-time and that was just me, I wasn’t up to standards to be training at that level.
“Everyone has to start somewhere so having that job and seeing the boys train gave me the motivation to keep going hard to try to get a full-time gig and I found that here in Newcastle.”
Mitch Kenny was given a similar task when he came through Penrith’s system but unlike the Panthers hooker, Manuleleua struggled with his application.
He has spoken openly of his battles with sweet treats and growing up in a family “where KFC was something I had every second night”.
“People would tell me I had all the talent in the world and I could be the player that people looked up to … but I never worked on the hard, off-the-ball stuff,” Manuleleua said.
“I got found out when I moved over to Penrith … I did a (NSW) Cup pre-season and got kicked in the arse and I was always at the back.”
Cleary
Francis Manuleleua aims to mow down Nathan Cleary after once cutting the grass the star trained on. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)
Manuleleua, who is of Samoan descent, was a halfback coming through the grades before retooling as a damaging edge forward.
Just 13 games into his NRL career, Manuleleua faces arguably his biggest task: going head to head with Liam Martin and shutting down Nathan Cleary as the Panthers halfback battles a foot injury.
“Cleary’s on that edge so the more I contain those two, the better it is for our team,” Manuleleua said on Wednesday, before the Knights trained in front of 1500 supporters.
“I heard he’s carrying a niggle, so we’ll see how that goes.”
And as for what he loves about Newcastle, Manuleleua looked across the club’s training centre and said: “Our lawns are way better.”…PACNEWS
IRELAND – RUGBY: WORLD RUGBY PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
One year on: Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 legacy drives record growth as WXV Global Series builds momentum
DUBLIN, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (WORLD RUGBY)—27 September marks one year since the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final, a generational event that reframed the global game. One year on, the tournament’s impact continues to build as the WXV Global Series presented by Mitsubishi Electric, breaks new ground with an evolved competition model, greater opportunity for unions and scintillating rugby on the field.
The 2025 tournament proved a turning point – captivating new audiences, driving record broadcast figures, and inspiring thousands of young girls to pick up a rugby ball for the first time. A year on, that legacy is delivering tangible results at every level of the sport, from grassroots pathways to elite international competitions.
This weekend sees the final round of the WXV Global Series Challenger, hosted by Hong Kong China Rugby. The 2026 champions will be crowned, with Fiji and the Netherlands the top two in the table. Elsewhere, every Women’s Six Nations side hosts a touring team, including world champions England who return to Allianz Stadium to face New Zealand on this landmark anniversary weekend.
WXV Global Series fuels elite competition
Created in partnership with 18 unions, the WXV Global Series is transforming the international 15s calendar on the road to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia.
Running across September and October, the WXV Global Series will see the world’s top 18 teams contest more than 100 matches between 2026 and 2028. Under the new model, the top 12 teams compete in a home-and-away touring framework, driving team competitiveness and commercial growth whilst offering unions guaranteed home content.
A further six teams contest the WXV Global Series Challenger, with Hong Kong hosting the 2026 edition across three weekends in September.
Transforming grassroots and pathways with Rugby Rising Play
At the grassroots level, World Rugby’s girls’ participation programme, Rugby Rising Play, celebrates its two-year anniversary during WXV with the launch of a report highlighting its reach and impact. Designed to recruit and retain teenage girls aged 11-18, the 10-session programme prepares participants to transition smoothly into non-contact T1 Rugby and beyond.
Key impacts from Rugby Rising Play’s first two years include:
*25,162 total girls directly benefiting from the sessions
*975 trained workforce members delivering the programme in 2025
*32 further member unions joined in 2026 bringing the total to 63 unions supported globally
*Participants reported growth in confidence, self-discipline, friendships and sense of belonging
Since RWC 2025, 68 unions have committed to grow participation globally by 50 per cent to 3.4 million women and girls playing by 2029. This is up from 53 unions earlier in 2026.
This coincides with the RFU’s Impact ‘25 report, which shows that more than 40,000 young girls (aged 6-12) have been introduced to rugby through the tournament’s legacy initiatives. Previously released reports include the Women’s RWC 2025 Impact Reportand World Rugby’s Impact Beyond 2025 Global Report.
Coaching, careers and player welfare
World Rugby continues to prioritise women’s player welfare, education, and off-pitch opportunity to sustain the game’s growth:
*The Women’s Health Webinar Series covers pelvic, period and breast health and knee injury prevention, giving the wider game practical tools. The first two webinars attracted 780 attendees with the final webinar in November.
*A refreshed digital Women in Coaching toolkit supporting unions and the wider rugby community in recruiting, developing, and retaining more female coaches at every level of the game.
*The 2026 Women in Rugby Careers Programme is supporting more than 250 women across 91 countries, expanding leadership capability across rugby’s global workforce.
Commercial growth and looking ahead to 2029
The commercial appeal of the women’s game also continues to grow with World Rugby welcoming Emirates, Asahi, Visa, LIQUI MOLY, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Gilbert, Macron and Ticketmaster as partners across both the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2027 and 2029. Mitsubishi Electric has also come on board as the Presenting Partner of the WXV Global Series from 2026-28.
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 was a defining moment for the game, but its lasting impact is enduring. Core commitments in our 2026-31 Strategic Plan provide unions with greater competition certainty, commercial growth, and clear pathways.
“From Rugby Rising Play to our evolved WXV Global Series, we are building a sustainable ecosystem in partnership with our unions as we drive momentum toward Australia 2029.”
World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby, Sally Horrox added: “One year ago, Women’s RWC 2025 set a new benchmark for women’s sport, proving the passion and potential that exists within our game.
“Our focus has been translating that historic tournament into long-term, sustainable growth. From the expansion of the WXV Global Series to record numbers of young girls joining Rugby Rising Play, momentum behind the women’s game has never been stronger as we set a clear course for the next three years.”….PACNEWS
AUST – RUGBY LEAGUE: NRL PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
‘All systems go’: Panthers back Cleary for Newcastle showdown
SYDNEY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (NRL)—Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo has backed star halfback Nathan Cleary to overcome a foot injury and lead the Panthers to a sixth grand final in seven years.
The playmaker has been named in the No.7 jumper for Sunday’s preliminary final against the Knights despite suffering a bone stress injury in the Panthers’ qualifying final win over the Roosters.
Cleary has been in this position before, carrying injuries through the 2021 and 2024 finals series and still managing to lead Penrith to grand final glory in both years.
The halfback has been on restricted duties since the qualifying final victory and has benefited from both a week off and the extra recovery time that comes with a Sunday match.
While the Knights have vowed to target the NSW and Australian No.7, Yeo is confident his co-captain will be up to the task.
“He had a pretty quiet week last week, but the week off was certainly nice for him and a few others,” Yeo said. “I’m confident he’ll be ready to go.
‘If we had to play last week it would have been pretty sore, and he would have pushed through it, but it’s settled down a little bit, so hopefully all systems go.”
Coach Ivan Cleary has named Jack Cole to partner Cleary in the halves, with Jack Cogger listed in jumper No.14 as bench cover in his return from a three-game suspension.
The utility is no stranger to this role, having come off the bench in the 2023 grand final to replace an injured Jarome Luai and playing a key role in the Panthers’ stunning18-point comeback.
Yeo will start at lock in his third game back from a pectoral rupture, the co-captain making a miracle recovery of his own from an injury initially expected to end his season.
Newcastle have a settled squad, with coach Justin Holbrook selecting the same 19 that stunned the Warriors at Eden Park last weekend.
Cleary isn’t the only star playmaker entering this weekend under an injury cloud, with the Roosters naming Sam Walker at halfback just four weeks after undergoing ankle surgery for Friday’s preliminary final against the Dolphins in Brisbane.
While the Roosters benefit from Daly Cherry-Evans’ presence in the halves, Cole is playing just his second finals game on Sunday afternoon and will likely carry additional kicking responsibilities.
After making his NRL debut in 2022, the 23-year-old has had the chance to learn from Cleary during a lengthy apprenticeship.
Now preparing to play the biggest game of his career, Cole declared he is ready to stand tall in front of more than 50,000 fans on Sunday afternoon.
“Having played [two weeks ago] I can expect what the intensity’s going to be like,’ Cole said. ‘It will go up another notch this weekend but it’s good to have that run under my belt and have experienced that intensity.
“We’ll talk more during the week about how I can support Nathan but if I need to kick more I’ve done the reps so that won’t be a problem.”
Having served his apprenticeship, Cole is in his final weeks as a Panther before moving to Perth to join the Bears next year.
He will do so with a wealth of knowledge developed over multiple years playing and training alongside Cleary.
“The main thing I learnt is preparation,” Cole said. “Putting my time into my prep and doing the little things, whether it’s extras on the field or in the video room.
“At the end of the day, if you’re not all in you’ll get found out. In the first couple of years my prep bit me in the backside a bit, I wasn’t preparing as well as I could have. I had a few injuries and was missing a bit of footy, which put me on the back foot. That’s something I’ve learned from Nathan and has helped me out,” he said…PACNEWS
AUST – RUGBY: WORLD RUGBY PACNEWS SPORT: Thu 24 Sep 2026
Australian Wheelaroos named for 2026 Rugby League World Cup
SYDNEY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 (NRL)—NRL Wheelchair have named their 10-player Wheelaroos squad for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, marking a major milestone in the team’s preparations to take on the world’s best on home soil.
Following an extensive selection and preparation process, the team brings together a strong combination of experience, skill, speed and versatility as Australia prepares to compete on the world stage.
Bayley McKenna has been appointed captain.
NRL Wheelchair CEO Anna Fitzgerald congratulated the players selected and said representing Australia at a home World Cup would be a significant honour.
“On behalf of Wheelchair Rugby League Australia, I congratulate the 10 players selected to represent Australia at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup,” Fitzgerald said.
“Selection for the Wheelaroos is an enormous achievement and reflects the commitment, hard work and performances of these players throughout the campaign.
“We are incredibly proud of the team that will represent Australia, and equally appreciative of every player who has been part of the broader Wheelaroos program and contributed to our preparations.
“I also congratulate Bayley on his appointment as captain. It is a tremendous honour to lead your country, particularly at a World Cup on home soil, and we know he will take great pride in leading the Wheelaroos.
“We also want people to watch this team and see Wheelchair Rugby League for what it is – Rugby League. It’s fast, physical, skilful and fiercely competitive, and these players are incredibly proud to have the opportunity to represent Australia,” she said.
Wheelaroos Head Coach Brett Clark said team selection was an important milestone after months of preparation and competition for places.
“Selecting a World Cup team is never easy and there were some very difficult decisions to make,” Brett said.
“We’ve selected a group that we believe gives us the right balance of experience, skill, speed and versatility to compete against the best teams in the world.
“Every player brings something different to this team, and we’re confident in the group we’ve selected.
“The standards across the group have continued to rise and the players have pushed each other throughout the preparation period, which is exactly what we want heading into a World Cup.
“There is still plenty of work ahead of us, but our ambition is clear – we want to be the best in the world and we’re excited about the opportunity to represent Australia in front of a home crowd.”
The Wheelaroos will head into the Rugby League World Cup with the ongoing support of the NRL, alongside AtkinsRéalis (Presenting Partner), Advocates Online (Official Partner), Astris PME (Equipment Partner), Classic Sports (Official Apparel Partner).
The team will continue its preparations over the coming weeks ahead of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in Wollongong. …PACNEWS
