PNG Wants Women football to be included in MSG Cup

 Santos PNG Orchids coach Ben Jeffries confirms his 20-player PNG Prime Minister’s XIII Women’s squad will face the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII Women in this Sunday’s clash at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

The match will be played with unlimited interchange and all 20 players are expected to feature. Elsie Albert is unavailable for the match, due to NRLW semi-final commitments with St George Illawarra Dragons, but Orchid number 20, Gloria Kaupa, will captain the side.

Jeffries says this is a valuable opportunity for the Santos PNG Orchids, who have not played a match since November 2019, and recently named a 23-player squad for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup (RLWC), featuring many new faces.

Nine players will be making their first international appearance in PNG colours on Sunday, so they are seeing a new era of Orchids come through. 

Coach Jefferies says this will be their toughest career test to date, playing against stars of State of Origin, the Australian Jillaroos and other emerging talent from Australia, however the objectives are to see where the team are at as a group so they can plan for the upcoming RLWC. 

The team assembles on the Gold Coast today, ahead of Sunday’s match at Suncorp Stadium – part of Footy Fest -  which also features the men’s PM’s XIII clash between Australia and PNG, plus both NRLW semi-finals.

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PNG Wants Women football to be included in MSG Cup