A team of local talent will head up the Vanuatu Rugby League showdown against the Solomon Islands.
The Independence Knock Out trophy was held at Amical fields last Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with many players turning out for the three clubs in Aelan Warriors, Pango Greenbirds and new club Roosters, with the games doubling as a trial for the international test match to be held in October in Australia.
Games were played as 9 a side, with big hits and spectacular tries width the Aelan Warriors winning the final round.
The finals were held on Saturday evening between Pango and the Aelan Warriors. It was an exciting clash, with Pango first to score, before a period of tense defence from both teams restricted the scoring to just the one try in the first half, which meant the score was 6-0 in favour of Pango.
In the second half, the Warriors fought back and scored with 2 minutes remaining on the clock, but the conversion was unsuccessful leaving the scores at Pango 6 – Warriors 4. From the restart Pango looked to be in control with the clock counting down, but with a turnover on the 6th tackle giving possession back to the Warriors with 30 seconds to go in the game, anything was possible.
Then, from deep inside their own 20m line, the Warriors passed the ball out wide to their lanky winger Graham Malon who streaked 80 meters to score the winning try. The Warriors were extremely pleased with the win, especially given the talent and tenacity of the Pango team.
The Vanuatu Rugby League has announced that 17 players have been selected to begin training with VRL Strength and Conditioning coach Brett Wright in preparations for further trials over the coming weeks, with the likelihood that 5-7 of the local players will join up with the national team for the game against the Solomon Islands in Mackay.
The local players will join the likes of James Wood (Tweed Seagulls), Alehana Mara (NZ Warriors/Auckland Vulcans), Alex Marango (Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles) and other Ni-Vanuatu players currently playing in elite competitions in Australia and New Zealand.
The 2013 squad is as follows:
1. Jason Pakoasongi (Warriors)
2. Tonny Lui (Roosters)
3. James Wilfred (Roosters)
4. Kalpat Steedman (Warriors)
5. Ben Lui (Roosters)
6. Koko Kalsal (Pango)
7. Alex Philip (Roosters)
8. Lester (Pango)
9. Sweenie Sablan (Pango)
10. Roger Tari (Warriors)
11. Graham Malon (Warriors)
12. Claude Raymond (Warriors)
13. Julian Wells (Roosters)
14. Daniel Malcolm (Pango)
15. Nelson Law (Roosters)
16. Jean Pierrez (Santo Boars)
17. Ian Vuti (Santo Boars)