PNG Rugby Football League have announced the dates for the 2023 National Women’s Championships that will be hosted in the capital in line with the 2023 Digicel-Exxonmobil Cup Finals. According to PNGRFL CEO, Stanley Hondina, the tournament dates are: 23rd, 27th, 30th of August and the last day on the 3rd of September. The two-week tournament is part of a long-term plan to establish a National Competition for women in the country and is driven by the PNGRFL’s High Performance unit and the PNG National Rugby League Competition. The rugby league tournament for women, will showcase the top performing female talent from the (four) 4 confederates, Southern, Northern, Highlands and New Guinea Islands. “We are committed to seeing our girls perform better at the 2026 World Cup and the way forward is to improve the standard of our domestic competition and provide opportunities for them to play at higher levels.” The teams have been formed by leagues who have been recognized as fully compliant to the PNGRFL’s guidelines and registration process which has been driven by our Community Rugby League team this season. Hondina added that the composition of the ladies competing came from teams representing their leagues who were invited to compete in provincial trials to identify and select their Confederate sides. These trials took place over the course of 3 weeks from the 29th of July to the 11th of August. “Our Community Rugby League team has been hard at work establishing and reconnecting with our leagues across the country to have them adjust to our enforcement of compliance in order to benefit from PNGRFL programs and opportunities.” “With compliance, this will lead to better capturing of data and information for our players and competitions.” Hondina also highlighted the key supporters of the women’s games, “Our women’s pathways and opportunities have been strengthened because of the constant support of key sponsors like Santos, who have been with our women’s National team, the Santos PNG Orchids, from Day One in 2017.”