For Murray Oa, supporting the Force Support Battalion (FSB) Tigers in this year’s PNG Defence Force Commander’s Cup is about more than putting a company name on a rugby jersey.
It is personal.
Oa, the Managing Director of Zero Alpha Group and a former PNG Defence Force officer, knows what the Commander’s Cup means to servicemen.
He played in the competition during his time in the PNGDF before later moving into coaching.
His connection with military rugby continued in 2019 when he was part of the coaching staff of a PNGDF select team that competed at the Defence Force International Rugby competition in Tokyo, Japan.
So, when the FSB Tigers approached Zero Alpha Group for support ahead of this year’s Commander’s Cup, Oa said it was an easy decision.
“When FSB approached Zero Alpha Group for assistance, I did not hesitate to support the team,” he said.
Oa then reached out to BeSelect Transport Managing Director Victor Aisa, who also has longstanding connections with members of the PNGDF, and invited him to come on board as a sponsor.
Together, Zero Alpha Group and BeSelect Transport are backing the Tigers as they prepare for the 2026 Commander’s Cup, which runs from September 15 to 28.
For Oa, the sponsorship is a way of giving back to an institution and a competition that played an important part in his own life.
“It is about supporting our servicemen, promoting teamwork and discipline, and contributing to a competition that has a proud tradition within the PNG Defence Force,” he said.
The FSB Tigers will have some experienced players in their ranks, including PNG Pukpuks representatives Limbert Suang and Baba Noga.
Oa believes their experience at the representative level will be important, particularly in helping guide some of the younger players in the squad.
But he also pointed to the people working behind the scenes, the coaches, team management and support staff, whose efforts often go unnoticed once the players take the field.
He said he hopes the Tigers will play with confidence, discipline and professionalism while showing the fighting spirit expected of a PNGDF team.
The Tigers will face strong competition as they chase the Commander’s Cup from defending champions IGAM 1134 CROCS.
For Oa, however, winning is only part of the bigger picture.
The Commander’s Cup gives PNGDF units an opportunity to come together, build friendships and strengthen the sense of camaraderie that exists within the Force.
“It is more than a rugby competition,” Oa said.
“It strengthens camaraderie between PNGDF units and provides an opportunity for servicemen to showcase their sporting talent while building teamwork and esprit de corps.”
As the Tigers take the field, their sponsors will be hoping to see them make a strong run towards the finals.
But whatever the final result, Oa wants the players to walk away knowing they represented the Force Support Battalion with pride.
For a former serviceman who once played in the same competition, backing the Tigers is ultimately about helping the next generation of PNGDF rugby players have their own chance to compete, grow and make their mark.