in lead up to Solomon Islands  Showdown

The Vanuatu Rugby League (VRL) has announced the playing squad for the upcoming international with the Solomon Islands in Mackay, Australia to be held at Virgin Australia Stadium on Saturday 5th October.

The squad features a number of players that represented Vanuatu last October against Greece, yet also a number of new faces who are eager to showcase their ability. Returning players include Alehana Mara, Javarn White, Jason Pakoasongi, Samuela Loaloadravu, Emosi Ugavule, Joe Meninga, Josh Tanner, Ben Titoko and Kalpat Steedman.

Also included to return to the national team is Robbie Congoo, who last wore national colours in the Cabramatta 9s in Sydney in February 2012. The local competitions are also well represented, with 5 players from Port Vila and 1 from Santo included in the 19 member squad. 12 of the 19 members of the squad were either born and or raised in Vanuatu.

Vanuatu will also have a new coach for 2013, with inaugural coach Dane Campbell stepping aside to allow David Simpson to guide the young national team. Campbell will assume a behind the scenes role with VRL.

David Simpson said he was excited to succeed Campbell in the coaching role.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for me personally and for the Vanuatu national team.”

“Not only do we have the opportunity to showcase our skills to the general public in Mackay, where there is a large South Sea population, but also to return to Port Vila to take on Niue on Saturday 12th October.”

The 19 member squad will go into camp in Mackay on Tuesday 1st October and will then be trimmed to a match day 17 on the Friday prior to the game.

The game in Mackay is being promoted as a commemoration of the Black Birding period some 150 years ago.

The full squad for the international against Solomon Islands on Saturday 5^th October at Virgin Australia Stadium is:

Saturday 12^th October is set to host an epic Pacific showdown with the first ever Vanuatu versus Niue rugby league match.

Vanuatu Rugby League founder Dane Campbell said the “Battle of the Pacific” is a great achievement for the Vanuatu Rugby League (VRL).”

“The game against Niue will be a huge event.  We are very much looking forward to having them in Port Vila. ”

“Both teams have a number of talented players and I personally believe that this game will be as well contested as it is attended!”

Vanuatu are due to play Solomon Islands in Mackay, Australia on Saturday 5th October, which is a game that is being staged to commemorate the “Black Birding” period 150 years ago.

The Municipal Stadium in Port Vila will again be the venue for the game and an anticipated capacity crowd of 5,000 is expected to come out and support their national heroes against the bigger Niue team.

The Vanuatu team will arrive in Port Vila on Wednesday 9th October and will be visiting schools and communities in the lead up to the game. The curtain raiser game will feature a Port Vila representative side taking on a representative side from Luganville, in a match that will be fiercely contested also and set the tone for a great afternoon of rugby league action.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public in early September.

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 6^th 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)

Pacific rivalry will be at its very best with the historic showdown between Vanuatu and Solomon Islands in a rugby league test match in Mackay this October. The game commemorates the Australian South Sea Islander 150 Year anniversary of people or ‘blackbirds’ from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands being removed from the Islands and resettled throughout Queensland.

Vanuatu Rugby League (VRL) President Tom Carlo said the game between Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, which will also be the first time the two sides have met in international completion, will further highlight the strong ties of the Island nations.

“This is a great opportunity for the Vanuatu national team to play against the Solomon Islands in Australia. The VRL visited Mackay earlier this year with the Vanuatu-South Sea Invitational tour.

“We were very impressed with the wonderful facilities that Mackay has at Virgin Australia Stadium and also the huge public support we received there.”

“It will be a game of firsts for all involved. Vanuatu will be searching for their first ever international win against the Solomon Islands team who will be playing their very first international fixture.”

“There is a lot at stake and we will have to be at our best physically and mentally”.

The game in Mackay will also feature another first with the first ever Australian South Sea Islander side playing a local Indigenous team.

Vanuatu has been boosted by the confirmation that several high profile players will be available for selection if their sides fail to make the NRL grand final (on the same weekend). The Vanuatu side will again comprise players from the local competitions in Port Vila and Santo, along with professional and semi-professional Ni-Vans that are now living in Australia and New Zealand.

Mackay is regarded as the biggest population of Australian South Sea Islanders and it is hoped that the game will attract more than 3,000 people, travelling from other centres such as Rockhampton, Proserpine, Bowen, Ayr, Townsville, Cairns, Gladstone and Bundaberg.

Corporate packages for the games and general admission tickets will be on sale in mid-August for both games.

For sponsorship enquiries please contact Dane Campbell through vanuaturugbyleague@gmail.com

Vanuatu vs Solomon Islands

Saturday 5^th October, 2013

Virgin Australia Stadium, Mackay

Over the last few weeks Vanuatu Rugby League (VRL) stars Kalpat Steedman, Tonny Lui, Robert Franklin, James Wilfred, Jean-Pierez Kenie, Roger Tokona and Ian Vuti have returned to Vanuatu after successful playing stints in Australia, following on from the highly successful Vanuatu-South Sea Island Invitational tour of Queensland.

Steedman, Lui, Franklin and Wilfred all played with the Noosa Pirates, Tokona and Vuti played with the Burdekin Roosters while Kenie had stints with both the Souths Mackay and Noosa Pirates clubs. The players return to Vanuatu and will take their new found skills into the local competitions in both Shefa and Sanma provinces.

NRL

Justin O’Neill’s Melbourne Storm have suffered their first defeat of the season going down 24-20 to the Canberra Raiders in Melbourne on Saturday night. In fact it was the first defeat for the Storm in 16 matches since their 26 to 18 Round 21 defeat by the St.George Illawarra back on 27^th July, 2012. O’Neill scored a try in the 58^th minute, playing all 80 minutes at centre in which he made 7 runs for 35 metres and made 12 tackles in addition to his try.

O’Neill has been selected to start in the centres for the Storm in their clash this Sunday with the Penrith Panthers at Centrebet Stadium (Sydney, Australia) at 6:30pm (7:30pm Vanuatu time) with the match live on Fox Sports 1.

U/20’s – National Youth Competition

Samsen O’Neill’s North Queensland Cowboys U/20 side was defeated by the Parramatta Eels 16 to 10 last Saturday night in Sydney. Playing all 80 minutes on the wing, O’Neill ran 11 times for 100 metres, including 2 tackle breaks and made 11 tackles.

O’Neill has been selected on the wing for the Cowboys game on Friday night against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Stadium Australia (Sydney, Australia) with kick off at 5:15pm (6:15pm Vanuatu time).

NSW Cup

Alehana Mara, in his second game back from injury and playing off the interchange bench was part of the Auckland Vulcans 48 to 10 loss by the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks last Saturday in Sydney.

Mara has been selected to come off the interchange bench for the Vulcans in their match with the Wyong Roos this Saturday at Westpac Stadium (Wellington, New Zealand) at 3pm (2pm Vanuatu time) with the match Live on Fox Sports 1.

QLD Cup

Jarvan White scored his 4^th try of the year in the Ipswich Jets 20 to 10 victory over the Burleigh Bears last Sunday on the Gold Coast. It was the Jets 5^th win of the season, leaving them in 4^th place in the competition. Despite missing the game through injury Ben Henaway’s Souths Logan Magpies had a 38 to 26 victory over James Wood’s Tweed Head Seagulls. Wood’s the Vanuatu and Seagulls Captain scored a try in the loss which has the club sitting in 7^th place, with the Magpies in 5^th.

Wood’s, selected at centre and White, selected at fullback will go head to head this week as the Seagulls take on the Jets. The match which will be shown live on Channel 9 throughout Queensland will be at North Ipswich Reserve (Brisbane Australia) on Sunday at 2pm (3pm Vanuatu time). Henaway’s Magpies have the bye this week.