Following on from last week’s injury to Justin O’Neill that will keep him sidelined for a further five weeks, Alehana Mara, Patrick August and Roger Tokona have joined O’Neill on the injured list. In better news Samsen O’Neill and Javarn White’s games will both be featured on television this weekend.

NRL

Justin O’Neill’s Melbourne Storm has continued their perfect start to the season with a 22-18 victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. While Melbourne won, it wasn’t as comfortable as previous weeks and they certainly missed O’Neill who has been in career best form to date.

U/20’s – National Youth Competition

Younger brother Samsen O’Neill’s moved to the wing, after originally being named in the centres in North Queensland Cowboys U/20 side that defeated the Newcastle Knights 26-20 in Newcastle on Monday night. O’Neill ran 9 times for 97 metres, including 5 tackle breaks and made 2 tackles.

O’Neill has been selected to start on the wing for the Cowboys U/20’s clash with the New Zealand Warriors on Easter Monday at Mt Smart Stadium (Auckland, New Zealand) with kick off at 3:30pm (1:30pm Vanuatu time) with the match to be shown LIVE on Fox Sports 1.

NSW Cup

In the NSW Cup, Alehana Mara injured his ankle as his Auckland Vulcans were defeated by the Newcastle Knights 30-10 in Newcastle on Saturday. Mara is expected to be sidelined for a number of weeks. The injury comes at a bad time as good early season form by the Vulcans and Vanuatu Test hooker had him knocking on the door of promotion to the New Zealand Warriors NRL side to add to his 16 games since his debut in 2010

QLD Cup

Vanuatu Captain James Woods and co-Captain of the Tweed Head Seagulls couldn’t prevent a 42-22 loss to defending champions the Wynnum Manly Seagulls despite scoring two tries last Sunday on the Gold Coast. In better results Javarn White’s Ipswich Jets had a 32-26 victory over the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles on Sunday on the Sunshine Coast. Also on Sunday Ben Henaway’s Souths Logan Magpies defeated Norths Devils 28-18 in Brisbane.

All three have been chosen for this weekend’s games. Woods will start in the centres in the Seagulls clash with Premiership favourites the Redcliffe Dolphins at Dolphin Oval (Brisbane, Australia) on Easter Sunday at 3pm (4pm Vanuatu time). Henaway will start at fullback for the Magpies clash with the Northern Pride at Barlow Park (Cairns, Australia) on Saturday at 6:30pm (7:30pm Vanuatu time).

While White will start at fullback in the Jets clash with the Easts Tigers at Ipswitch Reserve (Brisbane, Australia) on Sunday at 2pm (3pm Vanuatu time). The match will be shown LIVE on Channel 9 Queensland.

Regional Leagues

In regional leagues throughout Queensland, Patrick August season has ended as quickly as it begun, suffering a season ending knee injury playing for Souths Mackay. Patrick will require an operation after snapping his cruciate ligament and will begin his rehabilitation immediately following the operation and should be fit to resume training later in the year for the 2014 season.

Up in Townsville, Kunro Kalo scored a try for Brothers Townsville in A Grade against the Burdekin Roosters. Roger Tokona injured his knee playing Reserve Grade for the Burdekin Roosters and Ian Vuti played strongly for the Burdekin Roosters Under 19s.

Full results and team lists for NRL and the U/20’s National Youth Competition can be found at www.nrl.com

Full results and team lists for NSW Cup can be found at www.nswrl.com.au

Full results and team lists for QLD Cup can be found at www.qrl.com.au

Following on from the success of the Vanuatu-South Sea Islander Tour throughout Queensland, 10 players have now been placed to continue to train and play with club sides in Australia.

Kunro Kalo (Townsville Brothers), Alex Marango (Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles), Robert Franklin, James Wilfred, Kalpat Steadman and Tonny Lui (Noosa Pirates), Patrick August and Jean-Pierez Kenie (Souths Mackay) and Roger Tokona and Ian Vuti (Burdekin Roosters) have all been recruited by Rugby League in Australia.

National Coach and former NRL player Dane Campbell said he was thrilled with this outcome “The whole purpose of the tour was to give the players an opportunity to train and play in an elite environment and then chart a path forward for each player and to see how they will fit into our national squad moving forward – which we definitely achieved”.

“The other focus was to potentially get one or two players placed within clubs in Australia to speed up the process of their development. To get 10 players placed is an outstanding achievement and just shows the untapped talent and potential we have in Vanuatu.”

VRL President Tom Carlo was just as positive “The VRL is only new to sport in Vanuatu but from day one we’ve vowed to make a difference and provide opportunities for talented Ni-Vanuatu to have opportunities to travel and reside overseas to chase their professional sporting dreams. We’ll give them the best possible support to make it, but regardless of the outcome you can rest assured they’ll have had opportunities to excellent cultural, educational and career development”.

Anyone interested in becoming involved in Rugby League whether as a player, coach, trainer, official, administrator as well as sponsorship opportunities should contact the VRL.

Nineteen year old Alex Marango is set for a tilt at the Queensland Cup after being offered an opportunity with Queensland Cup outfit the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles. Final details are still being negotiated but all going to plan Marango will link with the Sea Eagles in the coming weeks and begin in the FOGS Colts but with form permitting is expected to push for a starting position in the Queensland Cup by seasons end.

Marango was born and raised in Vanuatu before his family moved to Australia, completing his school in Sydney. Marango was working in Sydney and playing Rugby Union before the opportunity came to come on tour with the VRL. He will now join the same club as Vanuatu Rugby League (VRL) team member Joey Meninga.

After only playing Rugby League once previously, Marango was a stand out on tour and is expected to come into calculations for the Test series.

National Head Coach and former NRL Player Dane Campbell stated “Alex was definitely one of the finds for us from the tour. An athletic outside back with plenty of room for improvement, which he’ll no doubt achieve due to the great attitude he showed on tour.”

“Alex will benefit from training day in and day out in an elite environment and I expect him to greatly improve over the course of the year as he gains more experience playing Rugby League. Alex is someone we have earmarked with the potential to form part of our National squad at seasons end, provided his attitude and form remain.”

Marango said he was very excited at the prospect of moving to the Sunshine Coast and taking up the wonderful opportunity “It is a big thing to pack up everything and move to a new state but it was an easy decision to make. I’ve been fortunate to be given a fantastic opportunity and I will be making the most of it.”

“The VRL have been great. My aim is to repay the faith they have put in me, train hard and play well for the Sunshine Coast and to make my Test debut.”

If Alex makes his Queensland Cup debut at some stage this season he could come up against National Vanuatu Rugby League Team Captain James Wood who plays for the Tweed Head Seagulls in the centres, the same position as Marango.

Sunshine Coast Sea-Eagles season kicked off last weekend and be sure to check out www.vanuaturugbyleague.com or follow the VRL’s Facebook page for updates on Alex and to follow his journey.

The last round of NRL games left the fans in shock and resulted in an overall mixed outcome for Ni’Vanuatu playing in clubs across Australia.

Justin O’Neill will miss up to six weeks of the NRL season after he fractured his jaw in Melbourne Storms 32 to 10 defeat of the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville on Saturday night. O’Neill succumbed to the injury after 65 minutes after making 8 runs for 66 metres and 9 tackles.

U/20’s – National Youth Competition

Younger brother Samsen O’Neill’s North Queensland Cowboys U/20 side defeated the Storm U/20’s 26 to 16 in the curtain raiser to the NRL fixture. O’Neill marked the victory with his maiden U/20’s try in the 52nd minute, playing all 80 minutes in a performance that saw him make 13 runs for 148 metres, including a line break and two errors, while making 17 tackles.

O’Neill has again been selected to start in the centres for the Cowboys U/20’s clash with the Newcastle Knights next Monday night at Hunter Sports Stadium (Newcastle, Australia) with kick off at 4:45pm.

NSW Cup

In the NSW Cup, Alehana Mara’s Auckland Vulcans scored a 24 to 12 victory over the Newtown Jets in Auckland last Saturday. Mara has again been selected as the starting hooker for the Vulcans clash with the Newcastle Knights at Cessnock Sports Ground (Newcastle, Australia) this Saturday at 5pm.

QLD Cup

Vanuatu Captain James Woods celebrated being named co-Captain of the Tweed Head Seagulls scoring a try in their 26 to 20 Queensland Cup win over the Burleigh Bears last Sunday on the Gold Coast. Woods was the only Vanuatu player taking a win in the Queensland Cup, with Javarn White’s Ipswich Jets losing by 22 to 4 to the Norths Devils in Ipswich.  On Sunday Ben Henaway’s Souths Logan Magpies were defeated by the Easts Tigers 28 to 6 in Brisbane.

All three have been chosen for this weekend’s games. Woods will start in the centres in the Seagulls clash with reigning Premiers the Wynnum Manly Seagulls at Piggabeen Sports Complex (Gold Coast, Australia) on Sunday at 3pm (4pm Vanuatu time). White will start at fullback in the Jets clash with the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles at Stockland Park (Sunshine Coast, Australia) on Sunday at 4pm (5pm Vanuatu time). While Henaway will start at fullback for the Magpies clash with the Norths Devils at Davies Park (Brisbane, Australia) on Sunday at 3pm (4pm Vanuatu time).

Regional Leagues

In regional leagues throughout Queensland, Noosa Pirates started their pre-season trials with a victory over Maroochydore Swans by the score of 24 – 16. Vanuatu players Kalpat Steedman, Ryder Franklin, Tonny Lui and James Wilfred all featured for the Pirates, with Steedman one of the leading forwards in the game and Franklin scoring a try on debut.

Up in Townsville, Kunro Kalo started on the wing for Brothers Townsville in a rematch of last year’s Townsville District Rugby League Grand Final against University, whilst in Ayr, Roger Tokona played for the Burdekin Roosters reserve grade, scoring a try on the wing and young Santo man Ian Vuti performing well for the Burdekin Roosters Under 19s in their win over traditional heavyweights Centrals.

Full results and team lists for NRL and the U/20’s National Youth Competition can be found at www.nrl.com

Full results and team lists for NSW Cup can be found at www.nswrl.com.au

Full results and team lists for QLD Cup can be found at www.qrl.com.au

Roger Tokona and Ian Vuti will play for the Burdekin Roosters.

Tokona will play alongside National Squad team member John Nash in A Grade while Vuti will play for the Roosters in the U/19’s team.

National Head Coach and former NRL player Dane Campbell was happy both players have been placed with the Roosters “Both Roger and Ian are only young and the small town of Ayr is the perfect environment for the boys to live and have the opportunity to play Rugby League. Having John Nash at the club is an added bonus.”

“Ian has impressed in all games and trials conducted in Santo and we see him as someone that we aim to develop over a number of years. Ian is a very good defensive player and is lightning fast.”

“Roger, who studies in Fiji, has decided to take time out from his studies to concentrate on Rugby League and he must be commended for that. He greatly improved over his time in camp and from game to game and I’ll be watching with great interest how he develops over the course of the season.”

Vuti is extremely excited by the opportunity to live and play in Australia “To be able to have the opportunity to experience living in a different culture is very exciting for Roger and I. To be able to solely focus on Rugby League and test my ability against players my own age, I just can’t wait”.

Tokona was equally as excited “This is an opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up. The VRL has given me the ideal environment to learn more about and experience regularly playing Rugby League.”

The Burdekin Roosters season kicks off later this month and be sure to check out www.vanuaturl.com or follow the VRL’s Facebook page for updates on Ian and Roger to follow their journey.