PNG’s popular off-season rugby league competition - Ipatas Cup – received a timely corporate support from NBPOL for its 2020 season. The sponsorship of K30,000 was presented by CEO Jamie Graham and Country Manager Robert Nilkare on behalf of the company on February 3, 2020, at the NBPOL headquarters in Port Moresby. 

On hand to receive the sponsorship were competition patron and Enga Governor Sir PeterIpatas and manager Sam Koi. Mr Graham said the competition has become a national institution and because rugby league is a national sport, NBPOL was excited to support it for the second consecutive year. Mr Nilkare said the competition has had an impact throughout the country in assisting grassroots to achieve their aspirations and dreams in the rugby league. He added that the concept is fantastic as it is the breeding ground for provincial and national teams such as the Hunters, and that NBPOL felt obliged to continue its support for the tournament. 

Mr Koi thanked NBPOL for the support and said it will support the competition in its The New Guinea Islands (NGI) logistical operations, as both West and East New Britain provinces have participated this year. He said this is a good motivation to expand the competition to New Ireland and Bougainville into the future. 

Governor Ipatas also acknowledged NBPOL for the gesture and said the Ipatas cup is PNG’s biggest off-season tournament that has been consistent over the past 18 years, and he is pleased to see corporate sponsors believing in the concept. He said the competition has exposed many rural talents who have gone onto playing for various Digicel Cup teams, the Hunters and the Kumuls. 

The popularity of the competition has seen 174 teams participating in this year’s tournament, a huge rise from 132 teams last year. The principal sponsor for this competition is Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd, for the past 15 years.