Rotorua secures Four Nations rugby league test

ROTORUA: 04.02.10: Rotorua’s reputation as a rugby league stronghold is gaining further strength with the announcement today that the city is to host another rugby league test match.

New Zealand’s Kiwis team will come up against Papua New Guinea (PNG) at Rotorua’s International Stadium on 30 October as part of this year’s Four Nations Championship, which also features Australia and England.

PNG qualified as the fourth team in the Four Nations through a competition that included 2008 World Cup semi finalist Fiji, along with Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands. On the way to qualifying they defeated Tonga, the team that had given the Kiwis a good run in the Rotorua test match only weeks before.

Papua New Guinea is the only nation in the world where rugby league is the official national sport and the national team is known as the Kumuls.

Events and Venues Rotorua general manager Peter McLeod said Rotorua is in for some thrilling league when the Kiwis and Kumuls meet on Saturday October 30. While the Kiwis are the reigning world champions, PNG are expected to be worthy opponents and have the record to prove it.

“During the 2008 World Cup PNG were in the so-called 'pool of death' with the same three teams they will meet in the Four Nations. But they acquitted themselves very well, nearly upsetting the English team, and they are certainly capable of creating an upset in the tournament.”

Mayor Kevin Winters said that it was something of a coup for Rotorua to get another rugby league test and he was sure the local community would support it well.

“Clearly the way our city got right behind last year’s one-off test against Tonga, where 8,000 fans turned up, has counted in our favour and shown that Rotorua people will support events like this.”

“Being a Saturday game also means we can expect a lot of fans to come into the city from all over the country and make a fun weekend of it. That’s going to be good for our tourism industry and for our local economy,” said Mr Winters.

[ENDS]

© Scoop Media