PNG Pupils Experience Rugby League Magic with PM’s XIII Stars

PNG Pupils Experience Rugby League Magic with PM’s XIII Stars [Photo supplied]

​Primary school students in Papua New Guinea’s capital enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime experience, taking part in a rugby league clinic with Prime Minister’s XIII players at the Santos National Football Stadium ahead of the PNG–Australia clash.

The event drew 150 students from five local schools and served as part of PNG’s 50th Independence celebrations. Cathy Neap, NRL in PNG General Manager, said the clinic was designed to inspire children and foster inclusion in the sport.

“The aim of today’s clinic is to engage children in fun rugby league drills and to show that rugby league is a sport for boys and girls of all abilities,” Neap said. “It’s also an opportunity for students to see how PNG and Australia have built a strong people-to-people relationship through the game of rugby league.”

Neap, a trailblazer for women’s rugby league and a former PNG Orchid, said the sport continues to change lives. “Rugby League is more than just a game; it is a platform to influence lives positively,” she added.

Students trained alongside the Australian Schoolboys, Schoolgirls, and both men’s and women’s Prime Minister’s XIII teams, including PNG’s own players, in a day filled with excitement and national pride.

The Prime Minister’s XIII remains a symbolic event celebrating the enduring rugby league connection between Papua New Guinea and Australia, reflecting shared history and friendship through sport.

The clinic was organised under the League Bilong Laif program — a partnership involving the National Department of Education, PNGRFL, and Team Up, an Australian Government initiative promoting equality and development through sport across the Asia-Pacific.

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