The Kaiviti Silktails are aiming to not let another opportunity slip through their fingers when they face the PNG Hunters for the inaugural PacificAus Sports Melanesian Bowl on Saturday 26 February.
The game, which will raise money for Tonga after the recent tsunami, will be played at Runaway Bay Junior Leagues Club and will be livestreamed on NSWRL-TV from 5.30pm (AEDT).
The Silktails, who were sixth in the NSWRL Ron Massey Cup competition when it was shut down last July due to COVID-19, had a narrow 16-12 loss to the Burleigh Bears at Pizzey Park last Saturday.
Coach Wes Naiqama’s team were leading 12-10 with seven minutes remaining but a Bears converted try gave the host club the win.
Naiqama was still extremely pleased with the first hit-out for his 2022 squad, considering there are 21 new faces – mainly Under 23 players - from the group that played Ron Massey Cup fixtures last year.
Both the Bears and the Hunters play in the QLD Cup, with the Papua New Guinea side winning the premiership in 2017.
The PacificAus Sports Melanesian Bowl between the two Pacific nations is one of 20 games across Round Four of the Harold Matthews, SG Ball, Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup, the SLE Laurie Daley and SLE Andrew Johns Cup competitions on Saturday and Sunday (26-27 February).
The Laurie Daley Cup is heating up with a top-four clash between the Illawarra South Coast Dragons (2nd) and the North Coast Bulldogs (4th) on Sunday at 11.20am at Ron Costello Oval in Shellharbour.
The Illawarra Steelers (2nd) are one of three undefeated teams in the HN Tarsha Gale Cup but will be tested to keep that record intact in another top-four meeting – against the Newcastle Knights (4th) - at Collegians Sporting Complex in Wollongong on Saturday at 2pm.
Check out the schedule below and be sure to tune into all the action of live streamed Junior Reps games on NSWRL TV this weekend.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS ALL NSWRL TV MATCHES.
SATURDAY
Andrew Johns Cup: GN Tigers v Newcastle Knights, Jack Woolaston Oval Tamworth, 10am
Laurie Daley Cup: GN Tigers v Newcastle Knights, Jack Woolaston Oval Tamworth, 11:20am
Men’s Country Championships: GN Tigers v Newcastle Knights John, Simpson Oval Farrer, 1pm
Women’s Country Championships: GN Tigers v Newcastle Knights, John Simpson Oval Farrer, 2:40pm
PacificAusSports Melanesian Bowl: Papua New Guinea Hunters v Fiji Kaiviti Silktails, Bycroft Oval Runaway Bay,5:30pm
Harold Matthews Cup: SS Rabbitohs v North Sydney Bears, Windsor Sporting Complex Windsor, 2pm
SG Ball Cup: SS Rabbitohs v North Sydney Bears, Windsor Sporting Complex, 3:30pm
Tarsha Gale Cup: SS Rabbitohs v Canberra Raiders, Windsor Sporting Complex, 5:00pm
Andrew Johns Cup: Western Rams v Monaro Colts, Pioneer Oval Parkes 10am
Laurie Daley Cup: Western Rams v Monaro Colts, Prioneer Oval Parke,s 11:20am
SUNDAY
Andrew Johns Cup: CC Roosters v NR Titans, Ted Doyle Oval Berkeley Vale 9:30am
Laurie Daley Cup: CC Roosters v NR Titans, Ted Doyle Oval Berkeley Vale 10:50am
Women’s Country Championship: CC Roosters v NR Titans, Ted Doyle Oval Berkeley Vale 12.20pm
Men’s Country Championship: CC Roosters v NR Titans, Ted Doyle Oval Berkeley Vale 2:00pm
Andrew Johns Cup: Macarthur Wests Tigers v Riverina Bulls, Kirkham Oval Camden 9:30am
Laurie Daley Cup: Macarthur Wests Tigers v Riverina Bulls, Kirkham Oval Camden 10:50am
Men’s Country Championship: Macarthur Wests Tigers v Riverina Bulls, Kirkham Oval Camden 12:30pm
Women’s Country Championship: Macarthur Wests Tigers v Riverina Bulls, Kirkham Oval Camden, 2:10pm
Men’s Country Championships: Western Rams v Monaro Colts, Pioneer Oval Parkes, 1:00pm
Women’s Country Championships: Western Rams v Monaro Colts, Pioneer Oval Parkes, 2:30pm
